UPDATE: Man Rescued After Going Missing After Summiting Highest Peak in Lower 48 – 14,505′ Mt. Whitney, CA UPDATE: 5/24/2 03:00 am PT: A high-elevation search and rescue operation ended happily last night when ground searchers successfully located missing hiker Edward Lee Alderman in the vicinity of Timberline Lake, several miles west of the summit of Mount Whitney. Mr. Alderman is reported to be alert, despite injuries, fatigue, and exposure to sub-freezing temperatures. Mr. Alderman was reported missing […] Industry News SnowBrains | May 24, 2021 2 Comments
Solo Hiker Slipped and Fell to Death Ascending Steep Chute on Mount Whitney, CA On Thursday, April 15, Saulo Sifuentes Escalante, a 36-year-old man from Conroe, TX, arrived at Whitney Portal with intentions of hiking Mount Whitney as a day climb. The Inyo County Sheriff’s Office received notification on Sunday, April 18 that he was overdue. Related: VIDEO: Dramatic Rescue Following Avalanche on Mount Whitney, CA Inyo County Search and Rescue responded and searched […] Climbing CragBrains | April 23, 2021 1 Comment
VIDEO: Dramatic Rescue Following Avalanche on Mount Whitney, CA This video was captured on April 22, 2017, and posted to YouTube on November 12, 2020. I was not very experienced at the time, being that this was my second trip skiing in the backcountry, and I had just taken my AIARE 1 course a few months prior. I was always hesitant to post this video because I believe we […] Avalanche AvyBrains | November 18, 2020 3 Comments
Mount Whitney Will Remain Closed as Inyo National Forest, CA Provide Wilderness Permits From June 1st In a Facebook post yesterday the Inyo National Forest announced they will be providing wilderness permits through a virtual process, beginning June 1st, 2020, with the exception of Mount Whitney. Related: Inyo County, CA Sheriff’s Office: Do Not Take Part in High-risk Outdoor Activity Mount Whitney day and overnight permits are being canceled one week in advance of the hiking […] Climbing CragBrains | May 26, 2020 0 Comments
Body of Missing Of Mt. Whitney, CA Hiker Found Dead Yesterday According to the Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, CA, the body of missing Mt. Whitney hiker Ling Dao was located on Tuesday afternoon, June 18th 2019, on the north slopes of Mt. Whitney. Ling was last seen alive near the summit of 14,495′ Mt. Whitney on June 12th, 2019. The exact cause of death is under investigation. Ling Dao […] Industry News CragBrains | June 19, 2019 0 Comments
Search for Solo Hiker Missing on Mount Whitney, CA Enters 4th Day A Virginia man believed missing on California’s Mount Whitney is an accomplished hiker and marathon runner who has been determined to summit the peak since a failed attempt last year, his family said Tuesday. Search and rescue teams combed the state’s tallest peak on Tuesday for a third day to look for Ling Dao, who was reported missing June 14 […] Climbing CragBrains | June 19, 2019 0 Comments
1st Avalanche Fatality of 2015/16 Occurs in California | UCLA Student Found Dead in Mt. Whitney Area The first avalanche fatality of 2015/16 has occurred in California in the Mt. Whitney region. The body of a UCLA graduate student who went missing in early November was found buried in avalanche debris on Saturday in the John Muir Wilderness. The body belongs to 25-year-old UCLA graduate student Micheal David Meyers. According to Inyo County Sheriff William Lutze, search […] Avalanche AvyBrains | November 23, 2015 9 Comments
Mt. Whitney, CA Mountaineering Conditions Report | by Sierra Mountain Guides We have been out and about for the past few weeks. Not much new to report for alpine ice climbers. Couloirs are still quite snowy, and the firnification process has been slow due to continued snowstorms through May. Some couloirs do have patches of ice exposed due to the dry winter (see last Alpine Conditions Report). This Alpine Conditions will focus on the Mount Whitney zone and you can extrapolate it out to other areas I’m sure. […] Conditions Report Guest Author | June 11, 2014 0 Comments