Dispatch From Denali: Climber Chimes In With More Details On Recent Deaths On Denali

Hello, We are people with maybe the most information on Pungas Baruno’s death and a little more on Mr. Nasti’s. We just descended from Denali after summiting on the evening of July 8th. First, we were part of AMS expedition that was at high camp (17,200′) on night of July 7th getting ready for summit attempt the next day. We heard the frantic shouts of “help” coming from the trail that was - as noted - very close nearby to camp, visually. Our guides went to try to resuscitate the young man but it was obviously too late. He was well taken care of in the snow off the trail both with wands and pickets and covered respectfully with snow, as we had to go past the next day on our summit attempt (we were all successful, 6 clients and 2 guides on a bluebird day.). I don’t know anything about the headache, but we can say that the wind was howling, started up that early evening and the cold and wind may have contributed. Also, we were at ABC 14,200 when the reports came in for Mr Nasti.

I am also 51 with two grown sons and member of 7 continents club (marathons on 7 continents) and Denali was #5 of 7 for 7 summits. There is not really a place where you use ice axes between the top of Pig Hill and the summit ridge and summit itself which is about 500′ of exposed ridge - except as a stick and balance point between falling off each side. My and our heart goes out to both families and we all on our trip were respectful of the mountain and the people lost before us, and how lucky we were to summit and return safely. (Mitch - from Anchorage on way home, comments welcome on own blog site as well).

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Editor’s Note: This dispatch is coming in from a response to a recent article that I posted on the recent deaths of Pungas Tri Baruno and James Nasti on Denali. Mitch Lewis, who has sent in this special report, is currently attempting the 7 summits-climbing the highest summit on all 7 continents. Mitch has also achieved the 7 continents marathon challenge. He was climbing with Alaska Mountaineering School (AMS) on Denali. If you are curious as to some of the details Mr. Lewis is describing, be sure to check out my previous article on these incidents.

Right now there seems to be a bit of confusion going on in the Press, as far as details are concerned. It has been reported publicly that Pungas Tri Baruno may have complained of a headache before collapsing. This fact has not been attributed to a source at this time, but was published publicly on the Jakarta Post, an Indonesian Newspaper.

In regards to Mr. Nasti’s death on Denali, it has been suggested that Mr. Nasti collapsed suddenly while trying to climb with his ice ax. From all sources I have received and read, Mr. Nasti was more than likely resting on the ax when he collapsed, rather than climbing. Mr. Nasti died on the summit of Denali on July 4th. Mr. Nasti was buried near the summit, while Pungas Tri Baruno’s body is expected to be retrieved and analyzed for a cause of death. Let’s keep both of the climber’s families in our thoughts and prayers.

I want to personally thank Mr. Lewis for sharing his first-hand account of what he witnessed while he was on Denali this past week. You may check out Mr. Lewis’ own climbing and expedition website by visiting http://www.climbingandrunning.com. If you were climbing and in the area of either incident, feel free to contact me by through the contact page found at the top of this site.

Jason A. Hendricks, Editor

The Adventurist

Photo courtesy of Unhindered by Talent on Flicker using a CC license.