American climber falls to his death on one of world’s highest mountains

A seasoned mountaineer from Colorado lost his life in a climbing accident while attempting to scale one of Nepal’s renowned peaks, it has been confirmed.

Michael Gardner, 32, an experienced skier, climber, and skateboarder, known for his passion for extreme adventures, was on an expedition in Nepal‘s Kangchenjunga region, with friend and climbing partner Sam Hennessey, when the accident occurred, as reported by Climbing Magazine.

The duo was reportedly attempting a new route on Jannu East’s North Face, a striking mountain peak in the Everest region, often considered one of the most technical climbs in the world.

Jannu’s—or Kumbhakarna—main peak is the 32nd highest in the world at 7,711 meters (over 25,000 feet). It is an important Western outlier of Kangchenjunga, the world’s third-highest peak. Jannu East measures 7,468 meters.

According to Climbing Magazine, Gardner died in a fall on Jannu East, known by some climbers as “Jeast,” on October 7. His climbing partner, Hennessey successfully completed the descent alongside a French team he encountered after the incident, according to the outlet.

The group was unable to locate Gardner’s body and a subsequent drone search was also unsuccessful. Some of his equipment and personal belongings were recovered.

It was Hennessey’s third attempt climbing the north face of Jannu East and his second attempt with Gardner, according to Alpine Mag, as reported by USA Today.

Gardner’s sponsor, clothing company Arc’teryx, issued a tribute to him on Instagram saying:

“Mike was a proud second-generation Exum Guide. Born in Ridgway, CO, he spent his childhood chasing his dad from the Tetons to Nepal, and everywhere in between. He lost his father in a climbing accident when he was 16, a moment that reset the way he viewed the mountains and guided his trajectory ever since…

“It would take pages and pages to list Mike’s accomplishments, of which there are many across disciplines, but more than anything it’s who Mike was as a person that will leave a lasting impact on us, and undoubtedly, on our community…

“Mike was an optimist who lived a big, bold life. A life we were honored to witness and be a part of. His legacy will be everlasting through the souls he touched and the limits he refused to acknowledge.”

Gardner had previously completed several high-altitude expeditions around the world alongside Hennessey, his partner of seven years.

In a pinned Instagram post on his account from 2022, Gardner, describing himself as an athlete and mountain guide, wrote:

“Speed alone has never been a motivating factor for me in climbing. How I climb, who I climb with and how I carry myself when I return home”

Nepal’s trekking and climbing industry sees thousands of adventurers every year, but the risks involved remain significant, especially at such high altitudes.

Gardner is survived by his mother, Colleen, and sister Megan. As reported by Climbing Magazine, his father, George Gardner, was a mountain guide who died from a fall while soloing the Grand Teton in 2008 when Gardner was 16.

Tributes have poured in from the global climbing community, many expressing their respect for the alpinist. After listing some of Gardner’s previous adventures in an obituary on its website, Climbing Magazine stated:

“It is a rote temptation to reduce a climber to a list of their ascents, and if there is one thing for sure it’s that doing so here leaves out a number of days Mike considered remarkable purely for the company he kept, whether adventuring locally in the Tetons or in the Himalaya.

“Nevertheless, it is an undeniable truth that Mike was among the greatest alpinists of our time, pushing the limits beyond what most of us could even conceive as possible.”

Social media platforms were also filled with messages of condolences and memories of Gardner’s expeditions.