Twins Fall, Die After Scaling Mt. McKinley

Twin brothers who likely reached the summit of North America’s highest mountain died in a fall, a Denali National Park and Preserve official said Wednesday.

It is believed that 55-year-old brothers Jerry and Terry Humphrey of Negley, Ohio, reached the Mt. McKinley summit and were descending when one of them fell, perhaps falling into the other, said spokeswoman Maureen McLaughlin.

The deaths were the first of the 2005 climbing season on the 20,320-foot mountain in central Alaska. One person died on McKinley last year after being hit by a falling rock.

The brothers were not roped together, McLaughlin said.

The bodies were found at 17,300 feet, just below Denali Pass. Since 1980, the steep Denali Pass traverse has been the site of six previous deadly falls, McLaughlin said.

The brothers fell about 1,000 feet.

“They probably fell from the very top of the traverse,” she said.

Given the steepness of the traverse, it is likely that one of the twins fell into the other, she said.

Weather probably was not a factor as skies overnight were clear and winds were moderate.