From a Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks news release:
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (CA)
Body Of Missing Hiker Found After Multi-Day Search
The search for hiker Kenneth "Wade" Brunett, which began on Tuesday, October 27th, after he failed to return from a day hike up Mt. Whitney, came to a conclusion this past Saturday when his body was found by searchers on the mountain's eastern slope.
The search was run jointly on both sides of the Sierra Nevada by the Inyo County Sheriff's Office and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, as the trail originates on the Inyo National Forest but the summit is in the park. Ground searchers and dog teams from Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks and numerous county teams participated in the search effort, along with helicopters from the National Park Service, California Highway Patrol, and the National Guard.
Extremely windy conditions grounded helicopters all day Tuesday and much of Wednesday, and ground searchers were unable to reach the summit due to inclement weather until Thursday. Brunette's pack and ice axe were located on Friday afternoon by the crew of a National Guard helicopter on the western slope of Mt. Whitney, and his body was discovered on the eastern slope on Saturday. The cause of death has yet to be determined.
[Submitted by Adrienne Freeman, Acting Public Affairs Specialist]
