Who is Balin Miller? Popular Alaskan climber found dead in Yosemite National Park

Balin Miller, a 23-year-old climber, died on Wednesday, October 1, while ascending El Capitan at Yosemite National Park. Jeanine Girard-Moorman, Balin’s mother, announced the death of her son in a blog on the website of their family-owned business, VIRR. She wrote: 

“I need to share the unimaginable: my beautiful son Balin Miller, lost his life while climbing.” 

Jeanine shared that Balin was “attempting to summit the route Sea of Dreams on El Capitan” on Wednesday, but lost his life during an accident. As she paid a tribute to Balin, Moorman described her son’s death as “unthinkable” and concluded: 

“At this time, we do not yet know all the details. What we do know is that the world has lost an extraordinary soul, and our hearts are shattered. I am going to share this raw and relatable image of Balin for you all to enjoy.” 

Balin Miller hailed from Anchorage, Alaska, and was introduced to climbing by his father, David. According to the Anchorage Daily News, he was 3 when he and his siblings went rock climbing with their dad on the Seward Highway. 

The newspaper noted that by 12, the Alaskan native made mountaineering a serious hobby and began ice climbing in Valdez, alongside the Seward Highway. As of 2025, Miller also worked as a crab fisherman in Nome and a miner to support his passion. 

Balin ascended Mount Hunter in the Alaska Range solo in May via The French Connection route and later climbed up the Slovak Direct route on Denali in June. The 23-year-old has also submitted different peaks across the Canadian Rockies and the Alaska Range. 

During his conversation with the Anchorage Daily News, the climber credited his parents for supporting him. 

Balin Miller’s mother remembers him in a blog post following his death at Yosemite National Park

Jeanine Girard-Moorman announced her son’s death in a heartfelt blog on virrgetoutdoors.com. As she mentioned, Balin losing his life while climbing up El Capitan at Yosemite, Jeanine described her child as “a true wild card at heart.” She penned:

“Balin was full of life — a true wild card at heart. He lived simply, often out of his silver Prius, scraping together a shoestring income to support his greatest passion: climbing”

Jeanine wrote about Balin’s father introducing him and his brother to rock climbing at a young age. She continued: 

“Together they [Balin and Dylan Miller] carried that passion from the mountains of Alaska, where they grew up, to cliffs and ranges across the world, living a nomadic life in pursuit of adventure.” 

Jeanine called Balin someone “more than just a climber.” She added:

“Balin was a lover of animals, of laughter, of pure silliness and joy. He had a spark — spastically fun and unpredictably brilliant, with a touch of Robin Williams’ wild energy. Strategic, curious, and endlessly playful, he brought light wherever he went.” 

Jeanine Girard-Moorman mentioned Balin Miller’s recent summits and asserted that he was chasing another dream in Yosemite and was also “preparing to meet family in the fall.”

According to the Associated Press, the exact details of what transpired at Yosemite National Park remain unclear. According to the AP, Miller's brother revealed that he had already completed his climb. Dylan speculated that Balin was pulling up his bit of gear when he likely slipped past the end of his rope, the Associated Press reported.