National Park Dispatcher At Denali Dies In May Avalanche Near Entrance Of The Park

Communications Specialist  Eric Walter Triggered An Avalanche Only 10 Miles Up The Park Road, In What Is Known As "The Frontcountry"

A 32-year old park employee at Denali died in an avalanche he triggered on Thursday, May 4th. A spokesman at Denali told the media that Walter had been skiing alone on a north-facing slope near the park entrance. 

According to the park, staff at the National Park kennels reported a slide near Mile 11, and rangers went out onto the road and found a pickup left in a pullout, scanned the slide area, and noticed skis and an orange bag. They went out with a helicopter and found their coworker dead. 

Although news reports said that the avalanche happened in "The Backcountry" much of Denali's actual backcountry is closed due to a landslide at a place called Pretty Rocks, or, previously, "Polychrome Pass" at Mile 43 of the Park Road. The area between Savage River at Mile 15 on the Park Road and the entrance to the park is known as "The Frontcountry." 

In May, 2016, a 24-year old hiker who worked for a local adventure company outside of Denali Park went hiking at the Savage River Loop Trail. The National Park Service said he'd tried to climb higher up the hill, fell, hit his head on the rocks, and died from the brain injury.