The body of a missing hiker from California was found on Mount Whitney on Sunday, covered in a layer of snow. Stormy weather delayed the body recovery operations for five days, the Inyo County Sheriff's Office said.
On Monday, the Inyo County Sheriff's Office expressed condolences to the hiker's family and loved ones. The hiker's identity has not been made public.
On 19 October, a motel in Lone Pine contacted the sheriff's office regarding a guest who had not checked out. Lone Pine is a town in the Sierra Nevada region of California. The man had previously mentioned plans to hike in the area. The following day, a vehicle belonging to the climber was found at the base of Mount Whitney.
The California Highway Patrol dispatched a helicopter which located the deceased man on the Mountaineer's Route. The Mountaineer's Route is a steep nine-mile trail leading to the summit of the mountain. A storm system that brought dangerous weather conditions prevented authorities from securing the man's body.
The county search and rescue team was deployed on Sunday. The individual was extracted from the mountain by helicopter from a height of approximately 13,600 feet.
Mount Whitney is the highest mountain in the continental United States. Mount Whitney has proven to be a dangerous place for hiking in recent years. In October, 52-year-old Fresno builder Kalem Peter Kazarian died while hiking. Last December, Joseph Brambila, a 21-year-old solo hiker celebrating his birthday, was missing for weeks before being found dead.
