Missing Texas hiker found alive on Mount Whitney after extensive search, chance encounter
James Ward
An Austin, Texas man reported lost while climbing Mount Whitney was found Sunday alive after other hikers heard his screams for help.
Edward Lee Alderman, 33, was evacuated by a Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks helicopter and taken to a hospital where he was reported to be alert, despite injuries, fatigue, and exposure to sub-freezing temperatures.
Alderman was last seen at around 4:15 p.m. Thursday while departing the summit of Mount Whitney, Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks rangers said. Alderman intended to make his way to Trail Camp with a hiking partner. The two separated on the descent, though, and Alderman's hiking partner reported him missing on Friday morning.
Helicopters searched the area for Alderman from the air on Saturday, and ground searchers were deployed on Sunday, once a late-season winter storm cleared the area.
The other hikers discovered Alderman near Timberline Lake, several miles west of Mount Whitney's summit.
More:Texas man goes missing while descending Mt. Whitney
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“We are thrilled and relieved to report that Mr. Alderman is alive,” said Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks Incident Commander Dave Fox. “With large numbers of people heading into the wilderness this summer, we urgently remind everyone to prepare carefully for their trips and understand that there are real risks out there. We know that Mr. Alderman and his loved ones have been through a lot in the last few days and we’re so glad he’s going home.”
The tallest mountain in the continental United States at nearly 15,000 feet, Mount Whitney lies on the boundary of Sequoia National Park and Inyo National Forest. All hikers are required to get a permit to climb the mountain. Hikers are cautioned that winter conditions still exist at higher elevations well into spring and early summer, and extreme caution is necessary, officials warn.
Mount Whitney has claimed several lives over the years. In April, another Texas man, Saulo Sifuentes Escalante, 36, of Conroe fell to his death while hiking. In November, a Riverside woman slipped and fell from a trail before a winter storm was found two days later but died at a hospital.
In May 2018, two people died in separate falls. In 2017, a 75-year-old community college professor from Texas fell to his death on the mountain.
James Ward covers entertainment, news, sports and lifestyles for the Visalia Times-Delta/Tulare Advance-Register. Follow him on Twitter. Get alerts and keep up on all things Tulare County for as little as $1 a month. Subscribe today.