Three Missing Hikers Found; Search Continues For Two Others

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (CA)
Search In Progress For Three Overdue Hikers

The park and Inyo County are conducting a joint search in and around Mount Whitney for three men who hiked to the mountain late on Monday but have not returned as planned. About 45 people are currently assigned to the operation, which is being hampered by snowstorms that have dropped between one and three feet of new snow on the region. Additional searchers and a helicopter are scheduled to join the operation today.

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (CA)
Three Missing Hikers Found; Search Continues For Two Others

The park and the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office are still conducting a major search operation in and around the Mount Whitney area. Three people have been rescued from Mount Whitney, but the search has now been expanded to include two other missing men. Three Nebraska men were rescued from Mount Whitney around noon yesterday. They’d originally planned on a day hike to Mount Whitney on Monday, but had been trapped by a snowstorm in a hut on Mount Whitney ever since. Three NPS search and rescue personnel hiked in to the site, with a California National Guard helicopter reaching the men at approximately the same time. All three men were able to walk and move around during a quick general health assessment by park personnel. Various parties assisted with this search and rescue operation, including the California National Guard and Yosemite Search and Rescue. Two other hikers, a father and son who were not part of the previously missing group, had planned a three-day, 36-mile cross-country loop in and around the Mount Whitney area, starting and ending at the Whitney Portal. They planned to return on Tuesday, but failed to reappear. Approximately 45 people have been assigned to the two search and rescue incidents. Search operations are still being hampered by snow with accumulations from one to three feet.

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (CA)
Two Remaining Missing Hikers Found

Two missing hikers – a father and son who were overdue from a planned 36-mile cross-country loop hike in the Mount Whitney area – have been found. Sina Sadeghi Baghsorkhi, 27, and Abdolreza Sadeghi, 56, walked out on park trails in the Cedar Grove area, which is approximately 50 miles away and far from their original planned route. Approximately 70 people assisted with the search and rescue effort. Groups searching for the missing hikers included the National Park Service, Los Angeles County Search and Rescue, Sierra Madre Search and Rescue, the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office, Inyo County Search and Rescue, and the California National Guard.

Obviously these guys didn't have a map. They were lost on the backside of Whitney and after finding the JMT they just started hiking north in hopes of running into other hikers who could tell them where to go. They hiked well out of the SAR area and crossed over the 13,200 foot Forester pass which is pretty difficult. Luckily they did find some hikers who directed them to Cedar Grove. If they had a map they could have gone south on the JMT to Cottonwood/Horseshoe meadows which is an area that SAR would be looking if they needed help and a helluva lot easier hike.

Not to mention their total disregard for the warnings they received about the weather.

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Old Dude



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2010 07:57PM by mrcondron.

Normally don't like to post in this kind of thread but the
now seemingly annual fall S&R in the HS is ridiculous.
This topic has been discussed in earnest in a bunch of
other forums...

My two cents is that the 2 guys who went over Forester and
then Glen and out Roads End ... wtf! hello! stupid, stupid, stupid.
Didn't go out Bubb? hello... not to mention the other routes out...
Still wondering wtf the 36-mile xcountry is.

Once October hits you HAVE to:
a) be prepared
b) have a darn good idea what the weather will be like
c) be prepared
d) think long and hard about doing a trip more than about 3-4 days
e) be prepared
f) not go maybe
g) be prepared
h) think about turning around immediately if weather hits
i) be prepared
j) have a map, compass, and maybe even don't venture into unknown territory
k) be prepared
l) don't be stupid... know that a storm can dump FEET of snow...

Have fun.
Be Safe



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/2010 07:00AM by bill-e-g.

Weather?
Shorter trip?
Not go?
Turn Around?
Map?
Compass?
Unknown territory?
Preparation?
Snow?

Wat dees tings anyway?