Who was Balin Miller? Young climbing influencer dies at 23 while livestreaming Yosemite’s El Capitan climb

Balin Miller was an American climbing influencer. Miller was live-streaming his climb at the El Capitan, a famous vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, when he fell to his death at 23. His mother, Jeanine Girard-Moorman, in a Facebook post, confirmed his death and said:

"He's been climbing since he was a young boy. His heart and soul was truly to just climb. He loved to climb and it was never about money and fame."

While announcing his death, Jeanine said,

"My heart is shattered in a million pieces. I don't know how I will get through this. I love him so much. I want to wake up from this horrible nightmare."

His elder brother, Dylan Miller, while providing more details on Balin's death, stated that Balin was lead-rope soloing and climbing alone, albeit protected by the rope, on a 2,400-foot route named Sea of Dreams. Miller had already finished his climb and was hauling up his last bit of gear when he allegedly fell.

More about Balin Miller

Alaskan climber Balin Miller, as per his profile on Millet, was introduced to climbing by his father at a young age. When talking about his childhood, Balin once said,

"Introduced to climbing from my father at a young age. Growing up in Alaska forced me to be a winter climber and to embrace the darkness and cold. Currently I work the summers in Alaska and spend my winters traveling for climbing but usually hang around Bozeman and Canmore."

When asked about his other passions outside of climbing, Balin Miller confessed that he did not "do much that didn't relate to climbing." However, on occasions, he used to go whitewater rafting with his father in Alaska.

Balin also worked as a crab fisherman in Nome, Alaska, and at a mine in Southeast Alaska. He won a Mountaineering Fellowship Fund Grant in 2023, which helped cover the costs of climbing Mount Andromeda in Alberta, Canada.

He is best known for his solo ascents in Patagonia, Canada, and Alaska. He climbed the challenging Grade VII Reality Bath ice climb in the Canadian Rockies alone in January 2025.

In May and June 2025, Balin Miller became the first solo choker ascent of the North Buttress of Mount Hunter via the "French Connection."

Miller's death comes on the first day of the government shutdown, which has left national parks generally open with limited operations and closed visitor centers, according to the National Park Service. The park service, in a statement, mentioned that they are investigating Balin's death.

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