Fundraiser Launched for Lone Survivor of Climbing Accident in Denali National Park
Relatives of a Latvian mountaineer who survived a fall on North America's tallest peak, Denali, are asking for help by raising money through GoFundMe.
According to the fundraiser, Mārtiņš Bilzēns endured more than 10 hours awaiting safe rescue conditions. He was being treated at a hospital in Anchorage, Alaska, when the fundraiser was published five days ago.
While he is stable, the GoFundMe said, "he faces a long, difficult road of treatment, rehabilitation, and recovery ahead."
The GoFundMe is asking for $24,000 to cover "escalating medical bills," as Bilzēns' insurance will be depleted in the coming days. He's expected to spend months in hospital care.
The funds will also go towards travel, lodging, and daily costs for Bilzēns' family members who came from Latvia to Alaska to be by his bedside.
The GoFundMe noted, too, that significant funds are required for specialized medical transportation to bring Bilzēns back home.
"We each strive to reach our peaks in life. Martins and his companions were heading towards the summit of Denali, but this tragic accident changed everything," the GoFundMe reads. "Today, he has another peak ahead of him: recovering, regaining strength, and returning home to his loved ones."
Alongside the GoFundMe, there is another campaign for Bilzēns on the Latvian ziedot.lv, which has raised more than €100,000 so far. The GoFundMe is meant for U.S. and international donations.
Bilzēns was among four Latvians who fell near Denali Pass at around 18,200 feet late last month. The bodies of the other three climbers, Inese Pučeka, Vija Olte, and Renārs Kunigs-Salaks, were recovered on June 3 by rangers, the National Park Service said.
The four were part of a seven-person group who were on the popular West Buttress route, which, according to the National Park Service, involves crevasses, steep ice, and exposed ice-covered ridges.
The traverse between the 17,200-foot High Camp and Denali Pass has seen many injuries and fatalities, according to the National Park Service. The agency added that, to lessen the risk of falls, fixed pickets are placed approximately every 90 feet as "running protection" in the area.
The Latvian Mountaineering Association called the accident an "unspeakably painful, irreparable loss for the entire family of Latvian mountain climbers."
To view the GoFundMe, click here.
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This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 1:42 PM.