RENOWNED CLIMBER AND VLOGGER BALIN MILLER DIES WHILE FOLLOWERS WATCHED

American climber and popular Alaskan vlogger, Balin Miller, tragically died during a solo ascent of the famous El Capitan rock formation in Yosemite. His death marks the third fatality among climbers in the park this summer.
The incident occurred on October 2nd when the 23-year-old Miller was completing his climb on the challenging 730-meter Sea of Dreams route. According to his brother, he likely fell while descending from the end of a rope, retrieving gear after successfully finishing the ascent.
Miller was widely known in international mountaineering circles as one of the most talented young climbers. He was the first person to solo the extremely difficult Slovak Direct route on Denali (Mount McKinley) in a staggering 56 hours. Furthermore, in 2025, he completed a series of successful solo ascents in Patagonia and the Canadian Rockies, including the legendary ice route Reality Bath, which had not been repeated in over 37 years.
“Among his followers on TikTok and within the climbing community, he was known by the nickname ‘the guy with the orange tent’—referencing the bright campsite at the base of El Capitan where he spent the last days before the tragedy. Many people were following his ascent live.”
The U.S. National Park Service confirmed that the incident is under investigation. At the time of the event, the park continued to operate on a limited basis due to the partial federal government shutdown. El Capitan remains one of the most challenging and alluring peaks for climbers worldwide.
Family and friends note that Miller was dedicated to the mountains from an early age, climbing with his father and brother, and fully devoted his life to the pursuit. He often said that the mountains were where he truly felt alive.
“He inspired so many people to do things that seemed impossible before. I can’t imagine a climb without him,” shared his brother, Dylan Miller.