Trigger Warning: This article mentions details about death.
In a tragic incident, rock climber Balin Miller, 23, died after plummeting nearly 3,000 feet from Yosemite’s El Capitan on October 1. A now-deleted video reportedly showed Miller struggling as his rope ran out during the fall. His mother, Jeanine Girard‑Moorman, spoke to PEOPLE, trying to manage her sorrow.
“The mountain took my Balin today. I will never recover,” she said. Losing a child, a full-grown child, your soul is shattered … It’s turned inside out and ripped into pieces.” Growing up in Anchorage, Alaska, Miller honed his climbing skills alongside his dad, David, and older brother, Dylan. Despite knowing the dangers of the sport, Balin was very passionate about rock climbing.
By early June, he had become the first person to complete the solo Slovak Direct route on Denali, a route attempted by many but successfully finished by only a few in 2024. Remarkably, the 23-year-old completed the climb twice. His final climb to El Capitan was supposed to be recreational, a stopover before a family gathering.
💔 Tragedy at Yosemite
Alaskan climber Balin Miller, 23, fell to his death from El Capitan on Oct 1, while rappelling the Sea of Dreams route
The fall was captured during a TikTok livestream
Known for bold solo climbs in Denali, Patagonia & the Canadian Rockies#BalinMiller pic.twitter.com/uJU5UD6s47
— GlobeUpdate (@Globupdate) October 4, 2025
He was using the lead rope-soloing technique, which allows climbers to protect themselves while climbing solo. He was climbing as high as 2,400 feet, and the climb was going great. He successfully completed the Sea of Dreams climb, but during his descent, his rope unexpectedly ran out. His 25-year-old brother Dylan mourned his younger brother’s death and said, “Sometimes the cost of love is loss.”
While life will always be a gamble in adventure sports like rock climbing or any other deep water or air activities, experts, including Dylan, believe Miller may have neglected to tie a stopper knot, a safety measure to prevent rope slippage. Dylan later added, “He was going to enjoy climbing the rest of his life.”
“I was looking forward to us growing old together, teaching our children to climb. He was my best friend,” he added. Miller’s half-sister, Mia, 15, accidentally saw the video and was heartbroken. When asked what she’ll miss most, she said that it will “Probably be his snarky comments … and how goofy he was.”
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For a 23-year-old, Balin Miller was mature, fiercely ambitious, and humble. He studied engineering in college but lived his life in motion, working as a crab fisherman and miner, and traveling with a Prius as his home. His family members loved his positive spirit and the do-or-die attitude. He often posted about his achievements on his Instagram page.
Miller’s mother, Jeanine, launched VIRR Get Outdoors, a company using her son’s photos and the image of a mountain goat (ibex) as its logo. The initiative helps fund young climbers and keep the beloved son’s memory alive. “He was an incredible athlete,” his mother told the outlet KTUU.
Balin Miller’s death follows two other climbers who recently also lost their lives. Hiker Angela Lin, 29, was killed when a falling tree branch struck her. An 18-year-old from Texas also died while climbing without a rope on a different formation. ( via NBC News).
To our readers: please be cautious when attempting any adventure sport. The thrill is undeniable, but nothing is more valuable than life itself.
