Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Death on the Mountaineer's Route

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks News Release

For Immediate Release                         Reference Number: 8550-1717
Contact: Mike Theune
Acting Public Affairs Officer
Phone Number: 559-565-3703
E-mail: mike_theune@nps.gov

          Two Fatalities in Sequoia National Park

SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif. April 23, 2017 - Two fatalities occurred in Sequoia National Park this weekend, one on Mount Whitney and one in the Kaweah River.

On Friday afternoon, a group of climbers descending the eastern slope of Mount Whitney crossed paths with a solo climber who was heading up the Mountaineer’s Route. Like the commonly used trail to the 14,494-foot peak, this route starts at Whitney Portal, but it is far more challenging. Sometime later, the group observed a backpack fall and realized that the climber they passed may have fallen. As soon as they were able to obtain a cell signal, they called 911, reporting the incident to the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office (ICSO).

ICSO started an investigation but it was too dark to begin an aerial search. At first light on Saturday, they began a helicopter search and spotted the man’s body after about four hours. He had apparently been traversing the north face of Mount Whitney, an area with snow and ice, when he fell. Because this area is in Sequoia National Park, ICSO contacted the National Park Service, which is commencing operations to retrieve the victim on Sunday morning.