Two climbers found dead at Mount Rainier National Park during recovery operation
Two climbers who had not been in contact with anyone since Saturday were found dead at Mount Rainier National Park.
Park rangers began an inquiry Sunday as their climbing permits were overdue. Emergency contacts of the two climbers reported they had not heard from them since Saturday, according to National Park Service spokesperson Scott Clemans via email.
Rangers found their vehicle in the Paradise parking lot, Clemans wrote.
“Searchers using spotting equipment subsequently observed two non-ambulatory individuals near Wilson Glacier,” he wrote.
Aviation resources could not access the area Monday because of weather conditions. Ground teams found the climbers dead the next day at about 9,600-feet in elevation, Clemans wrote. They were recovered and taken to the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office.
One of the climbers was Ben Watson, 35, who was part of the tight-knit climbing community in the state, according to Stacia Glenn, a close friend of Watson’s. Watson was originally from Richmond, Virginia before he moved to Tacoma and then Seattle last year.
Watson’s wife, Rena Hamzey, shared a statement with The News Tribune, describing him as an “avid lover of the outdoors.”
“An avid lover of the outdoors, Ben has always been called to the mountains, often claiming he ‘had the mountain bug’ ever since he could walk. When he wasn’t climbing, skiing, hiking, biking, or running, he was curled up on the couch with our two cats watching weather videos, researching trip reports, and playing online chess,” Hamzey said. “The only things he loved more than adventure were his doting family and friends, along with The Lord of the Rings trilogy. To know him and be loved by him was a great honor, and he will be sorely missed.”
The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office has not officially identified the two climbers.
This story was originally published January 22, 2026 at 10:57 AM.
