• Three climbers died in a fall while descending a steep gully in North Cascades National Park.
• The presumed cause is anchor failure during rappelling, leading to a fatal accident.
• A fourth climber self-rescued and contacted authorities after sustaining serious injuries.

Three climbers lost their lives after a fall in North Cascades National Park this past weekend while rappelling down a gully near North Early Winters Spire. The accident took place around 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, involving a group of four climbers, with three individuals aged 36, 47, and 63 confirmed dead at the scene. A fourth person managed to free himself and later contacted emergency services despite suffering from internal bleeding and a traumatic brain injury, according to India Times, Newsweek, and SFGate.

The incident is attributed to anchor failure while rappelling, with investigations still ongoing into the specifics of what went wrong. Reports indicate that the climbers were tied to a shared anchor point, which could have failed due to equipment issues or improper use. Following the fall, a helicopter rescue team assisted in recovering the bodies from the remote area, highlighting the dangers of climbing in such challenging terrain, which has a high accident rate, according to India Times and SFGate.

Initially reported as occurring within the national park, the incident actually took place just outside its boundaries but still within the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. The North Cascades National Park is noted for having one of the highest death-to-visitation ratios among U.S. national parks, underscoring its reputation for perilous climbing conditions, as emphasized by Newsweek and SFGate.