Local mountaineering guide dies after fall on McKinley
Published 11:50 am Monday, June 8, 2026
An Enumclaw local died on patrol on Mount McKinley late last week.
According to the National Park Service, Robin Pendery, a seasonal mountaineering ranger assigned to Denali National Park and Preserve, died around 2 p.m. on June 4 after falling into a crevasse near camp around around 14,000 feet.
“We are heartbroken by the loss of a member of our Denali family,” NPS Superintendent Brooke Merrell said in the press release. “Our mountaineering rangers dedicate themselves to serving visitors and helping others in one of the most challenging environments in the world. Today, we mourn the loss of a valued colleague, friend and teammate. Our thoughts are with Robin’s family and loved ones.”
The incident is under investigation.
Pendery, 33, first joined the Denali staff in 2024 supporting climber safety, emergency response, and mountaineering operations on North America’s highest peak, with an elevation of 20,310 feet above sea level.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Pendery was a seasonal worker at Crystal Mountain Resort for nearly five years, from 2016 to 2021, and was a seasonal worker with Alpine Ascents International since May 2015 until her death.
Her significant ascents included Mount Rainier (Disappointment Cleaver and Emmons-Winthrop), Mount Hood (South Side, Reid Headwall), Mount Baker (Squak Glacier, Coleman Demming Glacier, North Ridge), Mount St. Helens (Worm Flows/Swift Glacier), Forbidden Peak (West Ridge), Eldorado Peak (East Ridge), Sahale (Sahale Glacier), and Mt. Torment (Forbidden Traverse).
She graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Washington in 2021 and was a registered nurse.
A week prior to her fall, three climbers from a Latvian mountaineering expedition also died, while a fourth was rescued. According to reports, they were part of a seven-person team traveling a treacherous route known for its exposed sections.
