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Mount Whitney missing hikers: 3 of 5 found

Hiking in the mountains of California in late October carries a substantial amount of risk. It could be the last hike you ever take.

Three experienced hikers, Phillip Michael Abraham, 34, Dale Clymens, 45, and Stevan James Filips, 45, were rescued from Mount Whitney (1) by a rescue team and a California National Guard helicopter at about noon today. They were part of a group of 10 hikers who started their hike on Monday.

According to Dave Paladino from Omaha, NE, who led a larger group of hikers, extreme weather dumped up to three feet of snow and lowered visibilities in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Paladino said that the three missing hikers did not have snow shoes but likely had enough food and water to last several days. Fortunately, temperatures near the peak were in the 20s F, rather than much lower.

Paladino’s group encountered snow at 10,000 feet, and the snow increased significantly during the next 2,000 feet of climbing. His group reached the summit of Mount Whitney at around 3:30 PM Monday, rested at a shelter briefly, and climbed down the mountain. Paladino, who has climbed Mount Rainier in Washington state, described the descent as the hardest thing they have ever done, as the result of the heavy snow.

Still missing are two other hikers, Sinh Baghsohi, 27, and his father, whose first name is unknown, who were due back from a 36-mile cross-country loop on Tuesday. Both men are originally from Iran, but their current residences are not known. Sinh Baghsohi is 6′ 5″ and weighs about 287 pounds, and his father is 6′ tall and weighs 180 pounds.

(Note added November 9, 2010: These last two hikers walked out of the wilderness area about 50 miles from their planned exit point and are safe.)

The late start date, the lack of snow shoes by some hikers, the fact that the senior Baghsohi’s first name is unknown and their residences are unknown (lack of contact information left with park officials) all suggest that good procedures for hiking were not followed.

Please exercise good judgment and procedures when hiking in California’s mountains. It seems like every year that we hear of tragedies in which people are not prepared for the natural conditions that they encounter.

-Bill at

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