Tag Archives: Mt. Whitney

Local News

MOUNT WHITNEY SEARCH ENDS IN TRAGEDY

Missing hikers body found in Sequoia National Park

July 26th
by Seth Conners

After a five day search that involved nearly 100 people, 2 search dogs, and 4 helicopters, the body of missing hiker John Lee was spotted last Sunday afternoon by a search helicopter in Sequoia National Park.  The 68 year old hiker from Mentone California was discovered at the base of the SouthWest slope of Mt. Whitney at approximately 12,500 feet in elevation.
Lee and several of his friends began the hike on Monday July 18th at 4am and had planned to return to their vehicle at the trail head by days end.  The group had intended to follow the Mountaineers Route, but after becoming concerned for their safety they decided to stop and sleep near the top of the Whitney Russell pass about a half mile from the Mount Whitney summit.
on Tuesday Morning three members of the hiking party stayed behind while Lee continued on.  Later His companions saw his backpack “hanging” on a granite ledge.  After waiting for several hours, his group believed they would meet Lee at the car and descended the mountain with the assistance of several experienced hikers that they met along the way.  They returned to the trailhead around 10pm on Tuesday to no sign of their missing companion.
The search began on Wednesday and went on until Sunday when the body of the missing hiker was discovered.
Lee’s remains have been transferred to the Tulare County Coroner’s Office.  The cause of death is under investigation.

Cover Photo
by Gary Young Photography

MT WHITNEY, SEARCH AND RESCUE, LONE PINE, SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARK, INYO COUNTY SHERRIFF’S DEPARTMENT

Local News

Whitney Portal Road Reconstruction Set

Whitney Portal Road Reconstruction Planned for 2016

Significant Impacts to Access, Parking

submitted by the Inyo National Forest

The Whitney Portal Road Reconstruction is planned for the 2016 season under a funding request from Inyo County. The road will be re-paved and needs significant repairs for safety. The project begins just west of Lone Pine and ends just east of Whitney Portal.

Whitney Portal is the most popular trailhead on the forest; with hikers applying, by lottery, to ascend the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States. Mt Whitney is also the southern terminus of the John Muir Trail (JMT).

“There is no way to complete this project without having a significant impact on visitors to the Whitney Portal area,” said Ed Armenta, Forest Supervisor. “The road has only one ingress/egress and the already limited parking will be much reduced. Accessing the area may be, at times, difficult and frustrating. Your planning and patience will help complete this very important project.”

Visitors have long used roadside parking as an overflow. During construction near Whitney Portal, this roadside parking will not be available.

Construction delays will be up to three hours, twice a day. Visitors to Whitney Portal should anticipate that there may not be a parking space available.

Visitors to Whitney Portal should consider carpooling, being dropped off by friends, or shuttle services available from the Lone Pine area.

Visitors who want to hike Mt. Whitney are strongly encouraged to enter the lottery since walk-in permits will not be issued when parking is unavailable. Please apply via www.recreation.gov.

See the tips below  for planning your trip to Whitney Portal this year.

Accessing Whitney Portal: How To Make it Work
• If you do plan to visit Whitney in the summer of 2016, please pack your patience and carefully plan your trip to avoid the construction delays and the parking problems.

• Check the construction schedule before you head up to Whitney Portal (Twitter (@mtwhitneyinfo), at the Interagency Visitor Center (760-876-6222), on the web (http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/passes-permits/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5150055). There may be times when delays and parking are little impacted. There may be periods with 30 minute delays, and two 3-hour delays per day in the peak of construction.

• Please be prepared that there may not be a parking space available for you.

• Consider carpooling, being dropped off by friends, or explore local shuttle services.

• To help alleviate the problem of reduced parking, long-term parking will not be permitted. No overnight parking is available for anyone not starting and ending a hike at Whitney Portal. If you are entering or exiting the Whitney Trail via the Pacific Crest Trail, the High Sierra Trail, the JMT or other popular long-distance routes, you may not park or stage a vehicle at the trailhead.

• Long-term parking may be available in Lone Pine. Check with the Lone Pine Chamber of Commerce (760) 876-4444).

• An alternative to parking and hiking from Whitney Portal is the National Recreation Trail that connects the Whitney Portal Campground and Lone Pine Campground to the trailhead. This is an additional four miles of hiking with an additional 2,400 ft. in elevation gain. Parking is allowed clear of the roadway.

• All permitted Whitney hikers will receive a day or overnight parking permit that must be displayed on their vehicle. Whitney overnight hikers with valid parking passes may park at Whitney Portal for a maximum of 3 nights, if space is available. No day-use parking will be allowed after 8:00 p.m.

• A limited number of well-signed parking spaces will be available for day-users to the Whitney Portal area who are not hiking to Mt. Whitney.

• Parked vehicles without the required permit, that overstay their limit, interfere with construction activities, or are unsafely parked will be towed.

• The Inyo National Forest will honor the efforts of people who apply via the lottery for a Whitney hike. People who want to hike Whitney in 2016 are strongly encouraged to use the lottery system for the hike (please apply via www.recreation.gov).

• Many people who apply via the lottery cannot make the hike for a variety of personal reasons and the forest has re-issued those permits to “walk-ins” at the visitor center the day before or the day of for interested hikers. These walk-ins may not be available in 2016.The forest intends to manage the limited parking, in part, by limiting the walk-in permits. If there is no parking, then the walk-in permits will not be issued, or a reduced number will be issued.

• People who plan to take advantage of the walk-in process need to understand this option may not be available this year, especially in the peak of the summer which will likely be when construction is underway near Whitney Portal.

inyo national forest, whitney portal road reconstruction, mt whitney, lone pine california
Local News

UCLA grad student found deceased

UCLA grad student found deceased

By Arnie Palu

The Inyo County Sheriffs department confirms the recovery of the body of missing hiker Michael David Meyers. On Saturday crews located his body in a recent avalanche debris field near Mt. Irvine.

Meyers, a native of St. Cloud Minnesota was reported missing on Sunday, November 15th. Family members indicate that Meyers went hiking in the Mt. Russell/Mt. Whitney area on Friday, November 6th. Meyers was expected to return to UCLA on Monday, November 9th. His 2002 gray Dodge Durango was located on Wednesday, November 18th near the Mt. Whitney overflow parking area. The Inyo Sheriffs department notes that the vehicle was spotted by a local resident while hiking in the Mt. Whitney trail head area. The Meyers family indicates that Michael had left a detailed itinerary of his rout up Mt. Russell on the vehicles dash board.

A massive search and rescue operation ensued. Inyo County crews worked with the assistance of a California Highway Patrol helicopter. The Inyo Sheriffs office indicates that additional resources were requested from the California office of Emergency Services. On Friday, November 20th approximately 40 search and rescue personnel from throughout the state, as well as a Chinook helicopter from the California Air National Guard were assigned. In the afternoon items belonging to Meyers were located in a recent avalanche debris field near Mt. Irvine. The Sheriffs Department indicates that additional resources were requested including search dog teams and sonar type equipment. On Saturday crews located the body of Michael Meyers in the avalanche area.

cover photo, Michael David Meyers, photo provided by the Meyers Family

inyo county sheriffs department, ucla student michael meyers, inyo county search and rescue, mt whitney, michael meyers st cloud minnesota
Local News

Lone Pine Tesla Station opening

Lone Pine Welcomes Tesla Supercharger Station

On January 27, 2015 Lone Pine will open one of Highway 395’s first Tesla Supercharger stations.  The Station is located at the Lone Pine Film History Museum just South of Lone Pine, CA.
Tesla drivers on Highway 395 can now recharge for free while visiting one of America’s finest museums dedicated exclusively to the heritage of Western ”Cowboy” film making and then enjoy the tastes of Lone Pine’s many eateries.
Tesla’s business model includes building a network of fast charging stations — faster than any other electric vehicle manufacturer — along the major interstates around the country to enable Tesla owners to travel from city to city. Tesla offers the charging services for free, making the Superchargers a gathering place for members of the Tesla owner’s community.
A statement from the Lone Pine film history museum, ” While charging your car – you can visit the Lone Pine Film History Museum and the city of Lone Pine. Located at the base to the Eastern Sierra’s highest point in the continental USA, Mt. Whitney – and the Alabama Hills, whose unique geological formations brought Hollywood studios to the area to shoot “Cowboy” films, are not to be missed. Filming started in 1919 with a full-length feature film, The Roundup starring Fatty Arbuckle. The city is also an access location for Death Valley, The Ancient Bristlecone Forest, Eureka Sand Dunes and many other interesting American heritage areas along Highway 395.”

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