As One Hiker Turned Back, Another Pushed On—Fatally

A hiker on California's Mount Whitney apparently made the right choice to turn around during a summit attempt—because companion who continued on alone has now been found dead. The hiker who plunged ahead, still unidentified, is now the third to die this season on the highest peak in the contiguous US, reports the Los Angeles Times. He and his companion had set out just before noon Saturday, reaching about 12,500 feet of elevation by 3:30pm Sunday, per KOLO. That's when one hiker opted to turn around, due to what Inyo County Search & Rescue described as safety concerns.

That individual called for help Monday when the other hiker failed to return to the trailhead. Rescuers launched an aerial search and located the body on the mountain's north face, just below the so-called "final 400," a steep, exposed chute that becomes especially hazardous in winter. In a statement, the rescue team linked the latest fatality to a pattern of serious winter accidents in the region and warned that climbs like Whitney and nearby Mount Baldy are "serious mountaineering endeavors, not hikes" once snow and ice set in. "Winter conditions leave little margin for error, and the consequences can be severe," the post said, adding that when someone in a group voices safety worries, those should be heeded.

The death comes after a 21-year-old climber's body was recovered from the mountain in December after a weeks-long search. Another hiker died in October after a fall amid early snow; both were found on the notoriously tricky 99 Switchbacks section. Several climbers have also been killed this winter on Mount Baldy in Los Angeles County. Search and rescue officials urge anyone attempting Whitney in the coming months to carry crampons and an ice ax, travel in groups, and bring a satellite communication device in case conditions turn dangerous.