Climber's body recovered from Mount Whitney

Search and rescue teams have recovered the body of a climber from the Mountaineer’s Route on Mount Whitney in California. The recovery operation took place at an elevation of approximately 13,600 feet near Iceberg Lake.

The investigation began after motel staff in Lone Pine contacted the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office on October 19 regarding a guest who failed to check out and left personal belongings behind. Authorities located the individual's vehicle at Whitney Portal and confirmed he held a permit for the Mountaineer’s Route, a technical and steep alpine path.

A California Highway Patrol helicopter initially located the deceased on October 20, but a winter storm bringing snow and ice delayed recovery efforts for nearly a week. On Sunday, an Inyo County Search and Rescue team was inserted via helicopter to navigate the hazardous conditions and hoist the remains for transport to the Inyo County Coroner’s Office for identification.