Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Rescue Team Member Found Dead Amid Search for Missing Hiker On Mount Baldy [CA]
ktla ^ | 12/14/2019

Posted on 12/14/2019 6:11:06 PM PST by BenLurkin

A search and rescue team member was found dead Saturday amid the search for a 52-year-old hiker from Irvine who went missing near Mount Baldy nearly a week ago, authorities said.

The death took place as members of a San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Search and Rescue Team continued their search for the missing hiker into a seventh day.

It was not clear how the rescuer died Saturday afternoon.

Crews have been working in tough terrain, dealing with waist-deep snow, icy conditions and treacherous cliffs at elevations at around 7,000 feet, officials said. The mountain and surrounding area were closed to the public during the search.

The search operation began when Mokkapati became separated from his group and failed to return from a planned day hike.

(Excerpt) Read more at ktla.com ...


TOPICS: Local News; Outdoors
KEYWORDS: california; mountbaldy
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-22 next last

1 posted on 12/14/2019 6:11:06 PM PST by BenLurkin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

How sad. What a miserable thing for all.


2 posted on 12/14/2019 6:14:46 PM PST by Tax-chick (Tomado de la mano, yo voy con Cristo a donde El va!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Not good.


3 posted on 12/14/2019 6:14:47 PM PST by VTenigma (The Democrat party is the party of the mathematically challenged)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
The search operation began when Mokkapati became separated from his group and failed to return from a planned day hike.

Right out of the Missing 411 books.

4 posted on 12/14/2019 6:24:58 PM PST by Inyo-Mono
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Inyo-Mono

It’s a strange story that has gotten more strange.

An earlier article: https://ktla.com/2019/12/12/mount-baldy-placed-under-emergency-closure-as-searchers-focus-on-missing-irvine-hiker/

Why close the mountain?


5 posted on 12/14/2019 6:30:34 PM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire. Or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Inyo-Mono

Right out of the Missing 411 books.

******

Exactly what I first thought too.


6 posted on 12/14/2019 6:35:24 PM PST by Grimmy (equivocation is but the first step along the road to capitulation)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

What a waste. Stupid foreigner doesn’t follow instructions and now an American rescuer is dead


7 posted on 12/14/2019 6:51:20 PM PST by montag813
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: montag813

Looks like they should have waited for spring.


8 posted on 12/14/2019 6:54:00 PM PST by Karl Spooner
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: montag813
52-year-old hiker from Irvine

foreigner? Are citizens from different cities within California now considered foreigners? 8>)

Irvine is a master-planned city in Orange County, California, United States in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the 1960s and the city was formally incorporated on December 28, 1971.

9 posted on 12/14/2019 7:04:53 PM PST by Robert DeLong
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Inyo-Mono; Grimmy

David Paulides told an account of a woman who disappeared several feet from the parking lot and her car. She was with her husband. Can’t remember her name unfortunately. I thought of David when I read this article.


10 posted on 12/14/2019 7:20:06 PM PST by Redcitizen (Tagline not secure.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Redcitizen

I don’t recall that exact story, but there are many like it in his Missing 411 series.

I have all nine of Paulides books and a constant theme running through his books on people that went missing in the wilderness is that they “somehow got separated from their companions.” Most are never found, and the few that are often have no memory of how that got lost or what they were doing while lost. SAR members are often stumped when they can’t find these people.


11 posted on 12/14/2019 7:35:51 PM PST by Inyo-Mono
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
May God have mercy on the souls of Tim Staples and Sreenivas "Sree" Mokkapati.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
12 posted on 12/14/2019 7:54:17 PM PST by af_vet_1981 (The bus came by and I got on, That's when it all began)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: montag813

What a stupid comment. There are plenty of stupid Americans, and plenty of brave foreigners. And to my knowledge they haven’t even released the nationality of the deceased rescuer. And why does it even matter?


13 posted on 12/14/2019 8:06:05 PM PST by bigdaddy45
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Well, I hiked all over that area as a teenager. But not in snow storms, that’s a suicide mission. It was scary enough scaling the wall next to San Antonio falls even tho it had signs saying you can kill yourself slipping on these rocks. But when your 17 you know. But anyway up ice house canyon, following the stream or all the way to the top of Baldy and down following the ski lift. But like i said why anyone would try in snow with no snow equipment. I pray they find the guy but its been about a week . And that mountain rescue squad is one of best so if one of their guys died its dangerous.
LEX


14 posted on 12/14/2019 8:25:04 PM PST by lexington minuteman 1775
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Sounds like they need to cut their losses, head for the lodge...and wish the next hikers the best of luck.


15 posted on 12/14/2019 8:25:07 PM PST by moovova
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Robert DeLong
foreigner? Are citizens from different cities within California now considered foreigners? 8>)

Indian here on a tech visa

16 posted on 12/14/2019 8:40:53 PM PST by montag813
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: lexington minuteman 1775

Gnarly dude

Baldy is about 10000 ft. Rest around it is 6000-8000 ft

There is no real crankiness to the range but around there is garnly in winter

Snow and ice is whole different animal. Dangers abound. Cracks. Slips.


17 posted on 12/14/2019 10:23:57 PM PST by Truthoverpower (The guv mint you get is the Trump winning express !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: montag813

Really? Since you have been a member since 1998, I somehow don’t guy your response. But that was a nice try. 8>)


18 posted on 12/15/2019 5:30:37 AM PST by Robert DeLong
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Inyo-Mono

No, he didn’t become separated from his group. He had climbed the mountain before so likely thought he knew best and purposefully left his group. Rescuers found foot prints leaving and followed them for a while. Idiot put others in danger and caused a rescuer his life.


19 posted on 12/15/2019 6:01:26 AM PST by bgill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

I went to school with a guy who, along with his younger sister, died when they both fell down an ice shute on Mt. Baldy. They were there on a family outing. Very tragic.


20 posted on 12/15/2019 7:37:43 AM PST by ought-six (Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-22 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson