Medical examiner releases identity of climber retrieved from Mount Baker after fatal fall

A deceased climber recovered from a Mount Baker crevasse Sept. 30 has been identified as Sebastian Urban, 39, of Squamish, B.C., according to Interim Whatcom Medical Examiner Dr. Aldo Fusaro.

Urban was reported missing after he failed to check in with his family Sept. 28. He had left on a solo climb the day before to Mount Baker’s Coleman-Deming route, according to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office.

Fusaro determined the cause of death to be multiple blunt force injuries, caused by a fall from height. Fusaro also ruled Urban’s death was accidental.

According to Deb Slater with the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, Urban was found at the bottom of a 6-foot bergschrund, a type of crevasse, by a helicopter crew from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island around 3 p.m. Sept. 30. It is unclear how far he fell, as there were no marks anywhere near the surrounding ice.

Recovery was a collaboration between NAS Whidbey SAR, Bellingham Mountain Rescue, CBP AMO and the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office SAR Deputy Coordinators.