A hiker, who was reported missing in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains in the last week of December, was found dead at an elevation of 12,000 feet, officials say.
Inyo County Search and Rescue, a volunteer non-profit working in collaboration with the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office, in a post on Facebook, said the hiker’s body was located around 1:00 p.m. Saturday about half a mile northwest of Upper Boy Scout Lake, near the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek Trail at an elevation of 12,000 feet.
“At this time, no further details are available,” Inyo County Search and Rescue said. “We extend our deepest condolences to Taylor’s family and friends during this difficult time.”
The deceased hiker was identified as Taylor Rodriguez. The 29-year-old was from San Antonio, Texas, according to MYSA.com and Los Angeles Times. The cause of the death has not yet been identified and a spokesperson for the Inyo County Search and Rescue said the Inyo County Coroner’s Office will determine it.
Authorities believe Rodriguez was “attempting to summit Mt. Whitney on December 30, 2024,” before he was reported missing on Jan. 2. A search and rescue operation was initiated and authorities sought the public’s help in locating him. While authorities at the time were unclear about which “route Rodriguez intended to take,” there were “concerns that he may be without adequate gear and has limited hiking experience.”
At more than 14,500 feet in elevation, Mount Whitney is the tallest mountain in the “lower 48” states, according to National Park Service, and is the eleventh highest peak in the country. It lies on the boundary between the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Inyo National Forest, around 100 miles east of Fresno, California. The shortest trail route from the mountain’s base to its summit stretches 10.7 miles, as per NPS. Mount Whitney is also the most frequently climbed mountain peak in the Sierra Nevada.
Last year, in May, the bodies of a Northern California couple were found after an 11-hour search.
