Missing Person Alert SEKI NP 3/8

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maverick01

climber
Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 8, 2019 - 08:45pm PT

http://www.highsierratopix.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=19276
Lynne Leichtfuss

Sport climber
moving thru
Mar 8, 2019 - 09:09pm PT
Hope this turns out well. Adventures are just that and the outcomes never guaranteed. Peace and safety to all who venture out.
aspendougy

Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
Mar 8, 2019 - 10:41pm PT
I am trying to make sense of the proposed route. On 395, it is about 132 miles from Independence to Bridgeport. Sounds like a long cross country ski trip in the middle of incredibly heavy snowfall. Even ski resorts are closing certain areas for avalanche danger. The article does not give any specifics. Can anyone who has hiked the PCT in summer in this area shed any light?
neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
Mar 9, 2019 - 06:38am PT
hey there say, all... prayers ... hope it turns out, well, too, lynne...

:(
Flip Flop

climber
Earth Planet, Universe
Mar 9, 2019 - 07:35am PT
Kearsarge to Bridgeport would be........um.......snowy
10b4me

Social climber
Lida Junction
Mar 9, 2019 - 07:53am PT
His vehicle has not been located

^^^this, and the fact that he was allowing only ten days for the trip in the dead of a very snowy winter. . . . .
kunlun_shan

Mountain climber
SF, CA
Mar 9, 2019 - 09:06am PT
I would guess it will be easier to find his rental vehicle than to find him.

Kearsarge to the Bridgeport marine base is about 150 miles by trail. That’s a lot of DEEP trail breaking, given recent conditions. Hard to imagine it could be done in just 10 days, especially by a solo skier.

https://heavy.com/news/2019/03/matthew-kraft-missing/
bajaandy

climber
Escondido, CA
Mar 9, 2019 - 11:53am PT
Don't most rental vehicles have tracking devices? Hoping for the best possible outcome for everyone involved.
Ikat

Social climber
Carson City
Mar 9, 2019 - 04:11pm PT
His rented Jeep was located Friday night "near Independence"**

Doesnt say exactly where but this would be near the Kearsage Pass trailhead that he had given as his start point.

From Kearsage to the Pickel Meadows Marine Base off of Highway 108 would be something like 150 miles of very heavy snow to get through. Incredibly ambitious for a 9 day trip with this winter's snowload.

Worried about the high avalanche potential along that route.

This is where a SPOT comes in handy.
10b4me

Social climber
Lida Junction
Mar 9, 2019 - 04:49pm PT
I wonder how he was planning to get back to his car, from Bridgeport.

Anyway, Inyo SAR, Mono SAR, CHP, YOSAR, and the Marines are involved in the search.
kunlun_shan

Mountain climber
SF, CA
Mar 9, 2019 - 04:57pm PT
^ Probably would be easy to get a ride from someone at the base near Bridgeport, if you'd been able to ski solo all that way. Its pretty hard core, if you can do it.

I'd kind of expect anyone undertaking a trip like that to have some sort of GPS tracking device, like SPOT, Garmin inReach, that would broadcast one's location to someone, at least occasionally. But it's hard to guess the situation here.....
kunlun_shan

Mountain climber
SF, CA
Mar 10, 2019 - 01:09am PT
https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Camp-Pendleton-Marine-Never-Returned-from-Ski-Trip-in-Sierras-USMC-506919071.html?amp=y

..Mono County deputies started searching for Kraft in the Bridgeport area Monday. Pings from Kraft's last cell phone activity showed that he was in the Independence area in Inyo County, the MCSO said....,
JOEY.F

Gym climber
It's not rocket surgery
Mar 10, 2019 - 09:52am PT
From an article on SF Gate,

Searchers located on Friday night a Jeep that Kraft parked at the start of his trip near Independence, about 130 miles (209 kilometers) south of Bridgeport, Inyo County Sheriff's spokeswoman Carma Roper said Saturday.

It also states he was doing "The Sierra High Route".
Sad irony the quote is from Ms. Roper.

https://www.sfgate.com/news/us/article/Crews-search-for-Marine-missing-in-California-13676161.php

Hoping for a good outcome.
Jay S

Mountain climber
Silver Gate, Mt
Mar 10, 2019 - 10:22am PT
It sounds to me like Kraft was planning to ski Roper’s High Sierra Route from Kings Canyon to Twin Lakes. To do it in ten days would be next to impossible during big storms. I think he would have realized rather quick the improbability of staying on the “high route” and changed plans to pick an easier route.

Getting over Kearsarge Pass is doable and after that there are multiple bail out points such as Bishop Pass, Piute Pass, Mammoth, Lee Vining etc. or longer western alternatives.

Since he hasn’t shown up yet it lead me to believe he had the unfortunate incident of an avalanche or he is sitting somewhere running low on food and fuel unable to travel do to an injury.
Wishing him the best of luck.

JayS
Ikat

Social climber
Carson City
Mar 10, 2019 - 12:39pm PT
Inyo County Sheriff have run into avalanche debris in several areas above Kearsarge Pass.

Because of the danger, today's searches will be conducted by air

https://www.facebook.com/InyoCountySheriffsOffice/posts/1177394139109818
WBraun

climber
Mar 10, 2019 - 12:56pm PT
The search area is massive.

Like finding a lone person in the ocean ......
ClimbingOn

Trad climber
NY
Mar 10, 2019 - 02:36pm PT
I can pretty much guarantee that this video inspired Mr. Kraft. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZojE9nhR88o Skiing the SHR is certainly a worthy goal. Much like Free Rider may inspire some folks to solo, this video likely has inspired some to attempt skiing the SHR. Obviously skiing the SHR is far more attainable than soloing El Cap, but that doesn't mean that it is without considerable risk.

I've hiked the SHR and the idea of seeing it in winter is certainly alluring. The remoteness, the steepness, and the increased risk from this high-snow year make it a fairly daunting prospect. I hope Mr. Kraft will be found alive and with a good story to share.
JOEY.F

Gym climber
It's not rocket surgery
Mar 10, 2019 - 05:01pm PT
Climbing on, that is a great watch. Thanks. Hopeful for Mr. Kraft.
Sidebar, I’ve never known what The letters SEKI mean.

Edit. Below, Thanks . LongDays.

LongDays

Mountain climber
Eastside Bivy, Ca
Mar 10, 2019 - 06:36pm PT
JoeyF, it is an acronym for SEquoia and KIngs Canyon National Parks. Two adjacent parks, encompassing a large area of the southern Sierra Nevada. Thoughts going out to this young man on an epic adventure in winter season.
HermitMaster

Social climber
my abode
Mar 10, 2019 - 07:33pm PT
I hope they keep looking. Keep looking for tracks. He still has a chance to pop up somewhere.
Messages 1 - 20 of total 58 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
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