An Alaskan mountaineering personality has passed away following plummeting from the famous vertical rock face, a renowned granite cliff in California's Yosemite park.
The 23-year-old climber, 23, was live-streamed on TikTok ascending and then falling from the massive rock on Wednesday.
Through a heartfelt social media post announcing her child's death, his parent wrote: "I am devastated into countless fragments. I don't know how I will get through this. I love him so much. I want to wake up from this horrible nightmare."
Circumstances of the Tragedy
Specifics of the cause behind the incident are still uncertain, but his sibling Dylan said he was lead rope soloing - a technique that allows climbing alone while remaining secured by a safety line - on a 2,400ft route called Sea of Dreams.
He had finished the ascent and was retrieving equipment when he probably rappelled off the end of his rope, according to his brother.
A Yosemite-based photographer who observed the fall said he called 911 after Miller tried to retrieve his backpack, which was stuck on a rock.
Background of the Adventurer
Hailing from Alaska, Miller was raised ascending peaks with his father and brother.
He was an experienced mountaineer and gained global recognition for claiming the first solo ascent of Mount McKinley's Slovak Direct, which took him over two days to finish, as mentioned in a post on his Instagram in the summer.
"He's had likely one of the most impressive last six months of climbing of any climber I can think of," experienced mountaineer a climbing expert told a local newspaper in mid-summer.
A second renowned mountaineer from Alaska an elite climber compared him to the famous free soloist, who became the first person to free solo a complete path on El Capitan.
Recent Achievements and Nickname
Miller had devoted several weeks climbing alone in Patagonia and the Canadian Rockies, completing a notoriously difficult frozen ascent named Reality Bath, which had been not duplicated for 37 years, as reported by a specialist magazine.
He was referred to affectionately as the "Orange Tent Guy", because of his unique tent setup at the base of the rock face.
El Capitan and Yosemite Safety Record
El Capitan, an immense vertical granite rock face of roughly 3,000 feet, is a significant feature in the national park and entices elite climbers from globally.
Miller's death represents the third fatality at the California national park in the current year. In June, an teenager from Texas lost his life in the area while climbing without a rope on a different formation.
And in late summer, a young adult hiker died after being struck in the skull by a sizeable falling limb.
Official Response
The National Park Service stated in a statement that they were investigating the incident and "park rangers and emergency personnel acted promptly."
