Authorities say a skier died after being caught in an avalanche on North America’s tallest peak, Mount McKinley in Alaska.

Nicholas Vizzini, 29, of Washington state and his climbing partner, a snowboarder, triggered the avalanche high on the peak Tuesday while descending a slope.

Alex Chiu, 41, was ascending Mount McKinley's West Buttress climbing route with two others on Monday when he fell at a spot known as Squirrel Point, according to park officials.