INYO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - A man fell to his death on Mount Whitney over the weekend, Inyo County Search and Rescue reported Monday.

According to a fellow hiker who spoke with him on the trail, his name was Paul Jonathan Ortiz Jr.

The 29-year-old was hiking up the mountain's 99 Switchbacks, a notoriously difficult trail, but according to Wes Ostgaard, the jagged path was especially treacherous that day.

"This was my 4th time up Whitney. I have made this trip with difficult conditions, but we had to turn back," he said. "Winds were extremely intense, and with the recent snowfall, the wind was blasting snow in our faces, covering the trail, and in many cases, caused the trail to become invisible."

Ostgaard said his group decided to cut their hike short because of how violent the c

See Full Page