The climbing community is mourning the loss of Balin Miller, a 23-year-old influencer and accomplished climber from Alaska, who died after a fall from Yosemite National Park’s famous El Capitan. The incident occurred on Wednesday, and details emerged from his mother’s heartfelt social media post confirming his passing.
Miller’s mother, Jeanine Girard-Moorman, shared her profound grief online, stating, “My heart is shattered in a million pieces. I don’t know how I will get through this. I love him so much. I want to wake up from this horrible nightmare.”
According to Miller’s brother, Dylan, Balin was engaged in lead rope soloing, a technique allowing climbers to ascend alone while still secured by a rope, on the route known as Sea of Dreams. Dylan believes his brother may have rappelled off the end of his rope after completing the climb and while retrieving his gear, which had become snagged.
A witness, Yosemite-based photographer Tom Evans, reported seeing the fall and immediately contacted emergency services. Evans recounted Miller’s attempt to free his stuck bag from a rock face just before the tragic event.
Miller, who grew up climbing alongside his father and brother, had achieved significant milestones in his climbing career. In June, he completed the first solo ascent of Mount McKinley’s Slovak Direct route, a feat that took him an astonishing 56 hours. Veteran alpinist Clint Helander lauded Miller’s recent achievements, calling his past six months of climbing “impressive.” Renowned climber Mark Westman even drew parallels between Miller and Alex Honnold, the first person to free solo El Capitan.
Miller’s death occurred during the initial day of a federal government shutdown, during which national parks remained open but with reduced services. The National Park Service confirmed that rangers and emergency personnel responded promptly and are investigating the circumstances of the fall.
His adventurous spirit also took him to Patagonia and the Canadian Rockies, where he successfully completed the challenging ice climb ‘Reality Bath’, a route that had remained unrepeated for 37 years. Miller was affectionately known by campers at the base of El Capitan as the “Orange Tent Guy”.
El Capitan, a massive granite monolith towering approximately 3,000 feet, is a legendary destination for rock climbers worldwide. Miller’s passing marks the third climbing-related fatality in Yosemite this year, following incidents in June and August involving other climbers.