SummitPost.org

A 25-year-old UCLA grad student named Mike Meyers has been missing in the Whitney area for over a week. Meyers is 5-feet-10-inches tall and weighs 150 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. While initial reports said he planned to climb Mt. Russell, more recent info says that he planned to climb Mt. Irvine, and possibly Mt. LeConte, on Nov 9th.

For more info, please see the following thread on High Sierra Topix:
http://www.highsierratopix.com/communit ... 16#p102758

Here is the video from Mt Whitney via Main Trail summit attempt on 7th of November, 2015. Based on what I heard from other people no one was able to summit on Saturday due to too much fresh snow (from the recent storm). Some people turned back around the chain area (switchbacks) and some other at the lower direct snow chute.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjVrXxvRMHU[/youtube]

There were many people camping at the Trail Camp and a few at the Outpost Camp hoping to summit on Sunday. (Not sure if anyone succeeded). Some people were completely unprepared for the conditions (no ice axe, no crampons). The snow path was clearly defined and “easy” to walk, however. Cross country might be a completely different case though.

I met two people who wanted to stay at Trail Camp on Sunday night. I warned them about the forecasted storm coming on Monday as well as the possibility of the storm coming earlier (as it’s often the case in the mountains). The morning was very clear but then, as we were driving north, the clouds were taking over the mountains. The storm came on Sunday night. I was crossing the Highway 50 and it was snowing for hours; chains were required. Not sure how the storm effected Mt Whitney Zone.

BTW, some people from my group intended to climb Mountaineer’s Route on Saturday but we canceled that approach due to some possibility of avalanche hazard. On my way up I saw two people taking North Fork and later heard about another group from LA going there on Sunday (but turned around).

Sorry to say this did not have a happy ending:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum ... ssell-area
My condolescenses to his family and friends.

I hate avalanches and try to stay away from them but sometimes it’s hard to predict one and that’s why I prefer to stay away from them.

Very sorry and condolences to Michael's family and friends.

Mike Meyers died in Meysan Lake area. RIP Mike. How unfortunate. To me, dying doing what you love is little consolation. So indeed he made the call not to go to Russell following the weather forecast. Either way, it did not turn out well. It makes me so sad. I was planning to go to Lone Pine Peak next year but I'll also definitely go to Mts. Irvine and Mallory to say a prayer for this guy.