Hazardous spring conditions on Mount Whitney have resulted in another death, marking the third fatality on the California peak in a single week.
According to a Facebook post by Inyo County Sheriff’s Office, which you can see below, a call was received on Sunday morning reporting that a hiker on the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek was severely injured after being hit by a falling rock.
Mountain rescue teams were dispatched via helicopter to the area, where they inserted a crew member via hoist to the scene. However, it was determined that the hiker, who has not yet been identified, had died from their injuries, and the rescue mission turned into a recovery operation.
"Early spring conditions prevail on the mountain, with treacherous steep snow, loose rock, and variable weather," warns the Sheriff's Office.
"Parties venturing onto Mt. Whitney should stay together, turn around before deteriorating conditions become unmanageable, make responsible decisions, and be prepared and fit.
Last week, a California couple was reported overdue after setting off to hike and ski Mount Whitney. Their bodies were recovered on May 9, and though the cause of death has not yet been released, there were serious weather advisories in the area at the time. At 14,505 feet, the Sierra Nevada peak is the highest in the contiguous United States.
Posted by InyoCountySheriffsOffice on
Rockfall safety
Rockfall can occur at any time, but it is more common in the spring due to freeze-thaw cycles. The Colorado Geological Survey reports that most fatalities from rockslides actually occur on roads, not hiking trails. That said, 2013, a family of five was tragically killed by a rockslide on a popular hiking trail in Colorado, near the town of Buena Vista, while a hiker was killed in Yosemite National Park in 2017 when a chunk of granite broke off El Capitan and tumbled onto a trail below. Learn more about how to stay safe in our article on rockslide safety.
