Lone survivor rescued after fatal fall kills three climbers on Mount McKinley

Three Latvian climbers died and a fourth survived after a fall on Wednesday near Denali Pass on Alaska's Mount McKinley. Four members of a seven-person climbing expedition fell near Denali Pass, about 2,100 feet below the [mountain's 20,310-foot summit](https://www.foxnews.com/category/travel), according to Reuters. The Latvian Mountaineering Association identified the deceased climbers as Inese Puceka, Vija Olte and Renars Kunigs-Salaks, the outlet reported. [**ONE MAN TURNED A GLOBAL SKYSCRAPER INTO HIS MOST DANGEROUS DESTINATION OF ALL: 'PRETTY SURREAL'**](https://www.foxnews.com/travel/one-man-turned-skyscraper-worlds-most-dangerous-destination-pretty-surreal) The association said a fourth climber, Mārtiņš Bilzēns, survived the fall and was in critical condition. Rescue crews from the [National Park Service](https://www.foxnews.com/category/travel/general/national-parks) evacuated the surviving climber on Thursday from a basin at approximately 17,200 feet. Challenging terrain and [weather conditions](https://www.foxnews.com/category/weather) prevented a helicopter from landing. That required rescuers to use a long-line extraction system before transporting the climber to Kahiltna Base Camp and later to a hospital, according to the National Park Service. [**CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER**](https://www.foxnews.com/newsletters?cmpid=fnfirstnl) The three remaining members of the expedition who were not involved in the fall returned to High Camp after assisting their climbing partners, park officials said. Following the rescue efforts at high altitude, all three experienced [declining physical conditions](https://www.foxnews.com/health) and were evacuated from the mountain Friday. Recovery efforts for the three climbers who died remain ongoing as [weather, terrain and mountain conditions](https://www.foxnews.com/category/travel/general/extreme-travel) continue to affect access to the site, park officials said. The accident occurred near Denali Pass, one of the most hazardous sections of the mountain.  [**CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES**](https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle) The stretch between High Camp and Denali Pass has been the site of numerous injuries and fatalities over the years, with many incidents involving unprotected falls, according to reports.  Mount McKinley, also known as Denali, rises about 20,310 feet above sea level and is considered one of the most demanding climbs in [North America](https://www.foxnews.com/us/experienced-climber-dies-after-3000-foot-plummet-from-north-americas-highest-peak). The mountain's [steep slopes, glaciers](https://www.foxnews.com/us/3-skiers-missing-after-avalanche-hits-remote-mountain-range-alaska), rapidly changing weather and extreme altitude create significant challenges even for experienced climbers. [**TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ**](https://www.foxnews.com/category/lifestyle/quizzes) Only about 1,000 to 1,200 climbers attempt to reach the [summit each year](https://www.foxnews.com/world/record-number-climbers-summit-mount-everest-nepali-side-despite-overcrowding-concerns), most during the May and June climbing season.  Less than half of those who attempted the climb last year successfully reached the top, according to park statistics. More than 130 people have died on the mountain throughout the park's history. Fox News Digital reached out to the National Park Service for further comment. _Reuters contributed reporting._