Climber trying to scale icy Mount Whitney missing nearly a week, California cops say

A 29-year-old Texas man who tried to climb icy Mount Whitney “on a whim” remains missing nearly a week later, authorities and news outlets report.

Taylor Rodriguez, who was reported missing Jan. 2, intended to summit the mountain Dec. 30, the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office and Inyo County Search & Rescue said in a news release.

“A lot of us don’t understand what made him get in his car, drive to Whitney and kind of do this on a whim,” acquaintance Susana Guerra told the Los Angeles Times.

She said Rodriguez, a San Antonio resident, drove to the mountain from Texas for a solo climb, according to the publication. His truck was found in a parking lot near the trail entrance.

Searchers said Rodriguez may be lacking the proper equipment or experience for the climb. They said it’s not clear which route he intended to take.

Rescuers remain “actively engaged” in the search for Rodriguez, sheriff’s spokesperson Lindsey Stine told SF Gate.

At 14,494 feet high, Mount Whitney is the highest peak in the continental United States, the National Park Service said.

It’s located in Sequoia National Park, about an 80-mile drive southeast from Fresno.

Sheriff’s officials ask anyone on Mount Whitney between Dec. 30 and Jan. 2 who may have seen Rodriguez to call 760-878-0383.

This story was originally published January 5, 2025 at 7:44 AM with the headline "Climber trying to scale icy Mount Whitney missing nearly a week, California cops say."