ANCHORAGE, Alaska (CNN) -- A Canadian climber fell to his death on Mount McKinley and a volunteer ranger trying to come to his aid was missing and feared dead Monday.

If he does not survive, he would be the first ranger to die on duty on the continent's highest peak.

Conditions were too severe for the National Park Service's high-altitude rescue helicopter Monday, but six climbers headed for the site of the fall for a possible rescue attempt.

The dead climber was identified as Daniel Raworth, 25, of Whistler, British Columbia. He is the first fatality reported on the mountain this year and the 90th since the National Park Service started keeping records.

Raworth fell Sunday afternoon as he was descending with a partner at 16,500 feet in whiteout conditions in an area called Washburn's Thumb. Winds at the time were about 50 mph, with gusts reaching 60 to 80 mph, said the park service's Kris Fister.

Two rangers were in the area at the time and attempted to go down the ridge to aid Raworth when one of them fell and disappeared. His pack was found about 20 feet from Raworth's body about nine hours later.

The name of the missing ranger wasn't released because his relatives hadn't been notified.

Winds and resulting whiteout kept volunteer rangers from reaching Raworth until nine hours after he fell. His body remained on the mountain Monday.

This spring's climbing season has been marked by difficult climbing conditions, with lots of snow, high winds, and temperatures down to 50 or 60 degrees below zero.

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• Denali National Park, McKinley

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