Search on for Mount Whitney hiker missing since Sunday

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Craig

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Some may already be following this.

Search-and-rescue efforts continue for a 73-year-old man who did not return from a solo day hike up Mount Whitney earlier this week.
Kenneth "Wade" Brunette of Hansville, Wash., was last seen about 3:45 p.m. Sunday a mile and a half shy of the 14,494-foot summit, according to the National Park Service

They found his pack yesterday but no sign of Mr. Brunette yet.
His family has set up a blog to disseminate information as it comes in. They have posted the coordinates of his packs location. This can be cut/paste into google earth.
 
Unfortunately, this didn't end well.

"Missing Man Found Deceased After Multiple Day Search

73-year old Kenneth Wade Brunette was found deceased today at approximately 12:45 pm by searchers. He was found on the eastern slope of the mountain by a search dog team.

The search for Mr. Brunette began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 after he failed to return from a day hike to the summit of Mt. Whitney, the tallest peak in the contiguous United States. Search efforts were complicated by extremely windy, cold conditions during the early part of the week. Approximately 100 people, including dog teams and ground searchers, and four helicopters, participated in the search.

The cause of death is under investigation."

Whitney Portal Thread.

I was just there last month and had been rooting for the guy. :(
 
Yup, it was a long time to be up there.

I'm sure there were many folks thinking about Mr Brunette this week.

This is at least 3 the mountain has taken this year. :(
 
Very sad. Have been following it on the Portal BB. Last I'd read they'd found his pack - once I read that my sense was that it wouldn't end well.

The Eastern Sierra was hit by very high winds beginning about the day he attempted to summit, and lasted for 2 or 3 days. At my home in the valley just a bit south of Whitney the wind speeds were steady 50-60, with high gusts. That means up high the winds might have been twice that much.
 
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