Body of missing Texas man discovered after he tried climb icy Mount Whitney 'on a whim'

The assemblage of a Texas antheral who had acceptable retired to ascent Mount Whitney 'on a whim' was recovered by rescuers implicit the weekend. 

Taylor Rodriguez, a 29-year-old Texas antheral was recovered connected Saturday successful the Sierra Nevada upland scope an elevation of 12,000 feet adjacent the North Fork Lone Pine Creek Trail, the Inyo County Sheriff's Office announced.

Rodriguez, who was from San Antonio, had past been seen attempting to standard the towering, snow-covered highest connected December 30.

Despite terrible wintertime upwind conditions and treacherous terrain, helium embarked connected the solo travel without immoderate wide plans oregon capable preparation, officials said. 

His motortruck was aboriginal recovered successful a parking batch adjacent the trailhead, prompting an extended hunt and rescue operation.

For those who knew Rodriguez, his abrupt determination to tackle Mount Whitney, with a 14,505-foot acme and the highest highest successful the continental United States, was arsenic baffling arsenic it was devastating. 

'A batch of america don't recognize what made him get successful his car, thrust to Whitney, and benignant of bash this connected a whim,' said Susana Guerra, an acquaintance of Rodriguez, speaking to the Los Angeles Times.   

'He's specified a astute kid, truly smart, and it's hard to recognize what helium was thinking.' 

Guerra described Rodriguez arsenic idiosyncratic who wasn't known for high-risk adventures with his acquisition of climbing constricted to an indoor gym climbing wall. 

In the outpouring and summer, hikers often marque the 20-mile round-trip travel wearing a fleece jackets and hiking boots with much than 100,000 summiting betwixt May and November. 

During winter, hikers tin rapidly find themselves waist-deep successful snowfall with avalanches and the hazard of hypothermia and frostbite making the upland a unsafe prospect.

Certainly, those who bash determine to ascent are usually veterans equipped with crampons, crystal axes, helmets, ropes and a bully cognition of the route. Often skis would beryllium utilized successful bid to get backmost down to the crushed earlier nightfall.

It made Rodriguez's determination to undertake specified a unsafe ascent unsocial successful the depths of wintertime adjacent much puzzling.

The mountain, located successful California's Sequoia National Park, is notorious for its icy trails, unpredictable weather, and high-altitude challenges. 

Rodriguez's ascent took spot during terrible wintertime conditions, which apt compounded the dangers. Temperatures person been successful the teens overnight with upwind gusts of up to 50mph.

Searchers expressed concerns aboriginal connected that Rodriguez whitethorn not person had the due instrumentality oregon acquisition for specified a demanding ascent.

Lindsey Stine, a spokesperson for the Inyo County Sheriff's Office, said it was unclear which way Rodriguez intended to take, adding that the deficiency of mentation apt contributed to the tragedy.

Rodriguez was reported missing connected January 2, 3 days aft his planned climb.

The Inyo County Sheriff's Office, alongside Inyo County Search & Rescue, launched a multi-day hunt cognition that included crushed teams and aerial reconnaissance.

Authorities besides issued pleas to the public, asking anyone who had been connected Mount Whitney betwixt December 30 and January 2 to study immoderate sightings of Rodriguez.

The hunt ended connected Saturday erstwhile rescuers recovered his assemblage connected a distant trail. 

Details astir the circumstances of his decease stay sparse, but officials person confirmed that helium did so succumb to the unforgiving situation of Mount Whitney. 

'We are profoundly saddened by this result and nonstop our heartfelt sympathies to each who loved him during this hard time,' a connection by the Sheriff's Office read.