News Release

Climber recovered after fatal fall from Disappointment Cleaver on Mount Rainier

Date: August 25, 2022
Contact: Ben Welch, Senior Law Enforcement Officer, 360-569-6612

ASHFORD, Washington – Rangers at Mount Rainier National Park have recovered the body of a climber who fell to his death from a climbing route on the mountain’s south side. 

On Monday, August 22, witnesses reported seeing a climber take a substantial fall while descending the Disappointment Cleaver route on Mount Rainier. The climber, later identified as Canadian national Chun Hui Zhang, 52, of Surrey, British Columbia, was on a private, recreational summit climb of Mount Rainier with friends. Several unsuccessful attempts were made by mountain climbing guides and National Park Service (NPS) rangers to locate the fallen climber. Zhang was located the following day by a team of NPS rangers. Using an NPS-contracted helicopter, rangers were able access and extricate the climber’s body.  

Guides and staff from International Mountain Guides and Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. provided valuable assistance with the incident. 

www.nps.gov