Hiker dies trying to summit snowy Mount Whitney solo after partner turned back
FRESNO, Calif. — A hiker died trying to summit Mount Whitney solo after their partner turned back, search and rescue officials said.
The hiker’s body was found about 400 feet from the top of California’s highest peak, according to Inyo County Search and Rescue.
“This incident, along with recent fatalities on Mount Whitney and Mount Baldy, serves as a reminder that winter ascents are serious mountaineering endeavors, not hikes,” Inyo County Search and Rescue said in a Jan. 21 Facebook post, sharing a photo of the snowy Sierra Nevada peak. “Winter conditions leave little margin for error, and the consequences can be severe.”
In November, hiker Joseph Brambila died after attempting to summit Mount Whitney by himself, The Fresno Bee previously reported.
What is Mount Whitney? Where is it?
Mount Whitney is a 14,505-foot mountain in the Sierra Nevada — and the highest point in the contiguous United States.
A popular destination for hikers and climbers, the peak lies on the boundary of Sequoia National Park and Inyo National Forest about a 90-mile drive from Fresno, according to the National Park Service.
Mount Whitney is considered a “strenuous” hike with “rocky switchbacks, sheer cliffs and flowing waterfalls,” according to AllTrails.
“Reaching the summit of Whitney is an incredible accomplishment, but the journey is sure to challenge even the fittest of hikers,” the popular hiking website said, noting that the trail averages 550 feet of elevation gain per mile.
Rescuers: Hiker kept going after partner turned back
The Inyo County Search and Rescue team said it received a report of an “overdue” Mount Whitney hiker on Monday, Jan. 19.
Two hikers started their ascent around 11:30 p.m. on...