68-year old Shyam Das, from Saratoga, CA.

UPDATE: 8:30am Wednesday: Thanks from family –

Our biggest thanks go out to you all and the local community and authorities. Thank you, with warmest regards.

 Das Family

UPDATE: 5:30pm Tuesday: Hiker found

Overdue hiker, Shyam Das, a 68-year old man from Saratoga, CA was located this afternoon by search teams below the ledges in the Mirror Lake area.  Das is believed to have fallen.

Inyo County Search and Rescue, along with Fresno Search and Rescue, and Mono Search and Rescue have been actively looking for Das since Monday afternoon.  California Highway Patrol Helicopter H-80 assisted in the recovery efforts by conducting a hoist operation and transporting Das to Southern Inyo Hospital, where he is being treated for critical injuries.

Das set out to summit Mt. Whitney with a group of hikers on Sunday August 5th.  After reaching Lone Pine Lake, Das became tired and stayed behind with one member of the hiking group to rest and nap.  When Das woke up he was given instructions to go back down the trail and wait; at this point his other companion began to ascend the trail with the assumption that Das would head back to camp.  At approximately 2:00pm Das was spotted at Trail Camp by the rest of the hiking group after they had summited Whitney and were descending the trail.  Das refused to go back down the trail with the rest of his group and insisted upon summiting Whitney alone.

The last known interaction anyone had with Das was around sunset in the Trail Camp area on Sunday evening when an unrelated hiking group noticed Das wandering; Das was offered food and water before he departed.

In addition to the search team mentioned, Inyo County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank California Emergency Management Agency for coordinating mutual aid.

 

(Press Release – Carma Roper, PIO Inyo Sheriff)

Inyo County Search and Rescue are actively looking for 68-year old Shyam Das, from Saratoga, CA.  Das was reported as an overdue hiker on Monday August 6th.

According to the reporting party Das was part of a group of hikers who set out to summit Mt. Whitney as a day hike on Sunday August 5th.  After reaching Lone Pine Lake, Das stayed behind with one member of the hiking group to rest and nap.  When Das woke up he was given instructions to go back down the trail and wait; at this point his other companion began to ascend the trail with the assumption that Das would head back to camp.  At approximately 2:00pm Das was spotted at Trail Camp by the rest of the hiking group after they had summited Whitney and were descending the trail.  Das refused to go back down the trail with the rest of his group and insisted upon summiting Whitney alone.

The last known interaction anyone had with Das was around sunset in the Trail Camp area on Sunday evening when an unrelated hiking group noticed Das wandering; Das was offered food and water before he departed.

Das is 5’5” has a small-medium build and dark hair.  His hiking gear consists of a bright blue lightweight jacket/shirt, navy blue track pants, grey hooded fleece, blue jacket, red hiking poles, olive green day pack, may be wearing a white towel on head in place of hat.

Assisting in the search with Inyo County Search and Rescue are Fresno Search and Rescue, Mono Search and Rescue, and air support is provided by California Highway Patrol H-80.

If anyone was hiking in the Mt. Whitney area and may have had contact with Das, they are asked to contact the Inyo County Sheriff’s Department at 760-878-0383.


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