Hiker sent final text that he was returning down 13,000ft summit before he plunged to his death
Hiker Brian Seibert, 53, died after falling from a cliff while descending Mount Morgan in California’s Sierra Nevada. His final text said he was on his way down after reaching the 13,754-foot summit; the search and recovery highlighted the difficulty of reaching the steep terrain.
Seibert was reported missing on Monday after he did not return to his car. Rescuers used photographs, mobile phone data, canines and aircraft, locating him near Grand Central Couloir the following afternoon. His body was recovered the next morning by a Yosemite National Park helicopter and rescue crew, after the team had logged 305 hours of searching over three days.
- Seibert fell while descending Mount Morgan.
- He was found after a three-day search.
- Rescuers logged 305 hours locating and recovering him.
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Brian Seibert was a 53-year-old hiker who fell from a cliff whilst descending Mount Morgan, a 13,754-foot peak in California's Sierra Nevada. He had sent a text message confirming he was heading back down from the summit, but subsequently fell in the steep terrain.
Seibert went missing on Monday after failing to return to his car. Rescuers launched a large-scale search operation over the following days, using mobile phone data, search dogs, aircraft and photographs to locate him in the remote mountainous area.
The incident highlights the challenges of conducting rescue operations in high-altitude, remote terrain. The recovery effort involved emergency responders and a helicopter from Yosemite National Park.