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Body Of Missing Hiker Found On Mount Whitney In Sequoia National Park

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Published Date

June 19, 2019
Long hiker found dead on Mount Whitney/USFS file

The body of a lone hiker has been found on Mount Whitney/USFS file

A man who had planned a quick summit of Mount Whitney in Sequoia National Park died on the mountain, according to park staff.

The body of Ling Dao, age and hometown unavailable, was found Tuesday afternoon on the north side of Mount Whitney and transported to the Ash Mountain Helibase in Sequoia National Park, where it was turned over to the Tulare County Coroner’s Office. Cause of death is under investigation. 

Dao was reported missing to the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office last Friday after not reporting for work. According to the reporting party, Dao flew into Las Vegas on Tuesday, June 11, had planned to summit Mount Whitney on June 12, drive back to Las Vegas after summiting and catch a red-eye flight back home, to be at work on Thursday, June 13.

The Inyo County Sheriff’s Office contacted the rental car company that Dao used and was advised that Dao had returned his vehicle at 10 a.m. Friday, June 14. But after continuing calls from family regarding Dao, the sheriff’s office decided to contact the rental company again, at which point differing information was provided. 

According to the rental car company’s updated information Dao had returned his vehicle on Saturday, June 15 around 11:45 a.m. A vehicle description and license plate information was requested and provided to the sheriff’s office, and later that day the rental vehicle was located in the Whitney Portal parking area, prompting search and rescue efforts to begin early on Sunday, June 16.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks’ staff was contacted to assist with search operations on Sunday. Park staff confirmed that day that Dao was not listed in the Mount Whitney register. Search efforts were halted on June 17 due to unsafe weather conditions. On June 18, park staff received notification that the point last seen for Dao had been the summit, at which point search by aircraft continued in the area, and the body was found and recovered.

Back-country conditions can still be hazardous this time of year with snow instability, ice, rock slide areas, and more. 

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Comments

Submitted by Burls on June 20, 2019 - 11:39am.

How did the rental car company make such a big mistake on knowing whether or not their car was returned?


Submitted by Kevster on June 21, 2019 - 2:19am.

I've had a rental car company call asking me how long I needed to extend the rental. I had returned it to them 4 days prior. It took them 2 days to find it in one of their lots. 


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