Found Deceased CA - Sreenivas "Sree" Mokkapati, 52, hiker, Mount Baldy, 8 Dec 2019 *SAR member died*

[JerseyGirl]

Sreenivas "Sree" Mokkapati and three other people went hiking Sunday, from the Village at Bear Flats to the Mount Baldy Summit.

During the hike, the 52-year-old Mokkapati became separated from the group. Friends alerted authorities once they arrived to their car.

Mokkapati was last seen wearing a gray "puffy" jacket and gray pants.

Rescue crews searching Mount Baldy for missing Irvine hiker

 

[GraceG]

Sreenivas "Sree" Mokkapati and three other people went hiking Sunday, from the Village at Bear Flats to the Mount Baldy Summit.

During the hike, the 52-year-old Mokkapati became separated from the group. Friends alerted authorities once they arrived to their car.

Mokkapati was last seen wearing a gray "puffy" jacket and gray pants.

Rescue crews searching Mount Baldy for missing Irvine hiker

The San Bernadino County Sheriff's Department Fontana Station Facebook Page has a bit more information on him as well as a picture. He looks to be very fit. Hopefully, he just has a minor injury or got off trail slightly and is waiting in place until found.

 

[GraceG]

Here is a description of the trail they were on with some photos. It's rated "very difficult", not recommended in winter, and has some very steep drop offs. There have been fatalities on this trail. Praying he is found safely. Hike Mt Baldy on the Bear Canyon Trail (2019) - HikingGuy.com

 

[rainynights]

San Bernardino County Sheriff's Fontana Station

Mt. Baldy Search and Rescue Update: PIO will be available for a media briefing on the search at 10:30am. Command post located at 2433 Euclid Ave. Upland
San Bernardino County Sheriff on Twitter

 

[rainynights]

Still missing, per LE Facebook comment (27m ago)

San Bernardino County Sheriff's Fontana Station

He is still missing. Our search and rescue teams are searching for him.

Authorities Desperate to Find Irvine Man Missing on Hike

 

[rainynights]

Search Continues For Mount Baldy Hiker Missing Since Sunday

The 52-year-old man, Sree Mokkapati, was hiking this weekend with some friends, but when his group decided they wanted to turn around, he said he wanted to keep heading toward the summit alone. And when he failed to return to his car that afternoon, his friends got worried and called for help.

[...]

Along with search teams from local law enforcement agencies, the family has hired a private helicopter to help search for the man who the family said was an experienced hiker with knowledge of the mountain.

“He has sticks, and he has clamps,” his son said, “a lot of the gear you need to survive out here in the snow.”

 

[GraceG]

Conditions when he disappeared do not sound good and there's a lot of snow at the summit.

 

[rainynights]

The search for an Irvine man who went missing during a hike on Mt. Baldy resumed Wednesday, with seven search and rescue volunteers taking to the mountain, aided by San Bernardino County sheriff’s helicopters.

Search for missing Irvine hiker on Mt. Baldy continues with volunteers and helicopters – Daily Bulletin

San Bernardino County Sheriff on Twitter

UPDATE: The search is continuing on Mount Baldy for a missing/lost hiker; Sreenivas "Sree" ... from SBSD - Headquarters : Nixle

 

[rainynights]

Search Continues for 52-Year-Old Irvine Hiker Missing on Mount Baldy

Rescue crews returned to Mount Baldy Wednesday for a fourth day in the search for an Irvine man who disappeared on a hike to the summit over the weekend.

[...]

Personnel from five counties and several volunteers have been involved in the search thus far, and [Sheriff’s spokesperson Cindy] Bachman said additional resources from Tulare and Fresno counties have been committed for Thursday.

At least two helicopters were also involved, with one primarily being used to insert crew members on the mountain.

San Bernardino County Sheriff on Twitter

 

[MaryG12]

Here is a description of the trail they were on with some photos. It's rated "very difficult", not recommended in winter, and has some very steep drop offs. There have been fatalities on this trail. Praying he is found safely. Hike Mt Baldy on the Bear Canyon Trail (2019) - HikingGuy.com

That link has some really awesome photos of the trail leading up to the summit of Mt Baldy - I felt like I was taking a virtual hike!

Given the snow conditions and sometimes treacherous locations of the trail - I really hope he is found soon.

 

[MaryG12]

I wonder what time of day he got separated from his friends and continued hiking?

Was Sree in a position where he might be stuck near or at the top of the summit once night fell?

 

[Seajay]

If he is as experienced as his family says he is, he is probably injured. That would be the only reason I can see for why he hasn’t made his way back. It doesn’t sound like he’d easily get lost. IMO

 

[carbuff]

No, but even experienced hikers do get turned around, especially if they have to leave the trail to find a place to do nature's business. And some very experienced hikers have terrible sense of direction. (I'm looking at you, Mr. Carbuff )

 

[Seajay]

No, but even experienced hikers do get turned around, especially if they have to leave the trail to find a place to do nature's business. And some very experienced hikers have terrible sense of direction. (I'm looking at you, Mr. Carbuff )

Granted, conditions suck up there and maybe visibility was hampered. That could cause confusion and loss of the trail.

I saw the report on this in my local newsfeed yesterday but forgot to come here to see if he had a thread started. My bad. You would figure 7 years here at WS, that that could be my first instinct when hearing about a missing person.

 

[Seajay]

Still looking for Sree. Found other people and rescued them but not Sree. Fresh searchers coming in tomorrow.

Vigil held to pray for return of missing Irvine man on Mount Baldy on 4th day of search

 

[JerseyGirl]

On Tuesday, there were two unrelated helicopter rescues of injured hikers on the mountain, both of them near the steep-sided Devil’s Backbone trail, north of the Baldy summit.

The sheriff’s department confirmed Wednesday at around 7 p.m. that areas near the Mt. Baldy peak would be temporarily closed, starting Thursday, while search and rescue teams continued their search.

The area would be closed to everyone except search and rescue teams, people with a permit from the National Forest Service and owners of land or residents within the closure area.

Officials noted the closure would be in effect from Thursday until Dec. 31.

Search for missing Irvine hiker on Mt. Baldy continues with volunteers and helicopters – Press Enterprise

 

[rainynights]

Hiker Haunted by Last Images of Man Who Vanished on Mt. Baldy



The last person to see him, [JW], said he wished he would have told Sree to turn back. A photo shows Mokkapati, his back turned to the camera, in the snow-covered wilderness on Mt. Baldy.

"I keep reliving that moment in my mind," [JW] said. "He muttered something, I didn't quite hear what he said, and then he just kept walking."

[JW] said Mikkapati seemed to disappear into the distance after he snapped the photo.

 

[rainynights]

Irvine resident Sreenivas “Sree” Mokkapati has been missing for 4 days from Mt. Baldy after being separated from his friends while hiking. IPD has been in communication with @sbcountysheriff. Our thoughts are with his family. We will provide updates as they become available.


Irvine Police Department on Twitter

UPDATE: The search is continuing on Mount Baldy for a missing/lost hiker; Sreenivas "Sree" ... from SBSD - Headquarters : Nixle

San Bernardino County Sheriff's Fontana Station

 

[happyday]

Hiker Haunted by Last Images of Man Who Vanished on Mt. Baldy

View attachment 220013

The last person to see him, [JW], said he wished he would have told Sree to turn back. A photo shows Mokkapati, his back turned to the camera, in the snow-covered wilderness on Mt. Baldy.

"I keep reliving that moment in my mind," [JW] said. "He muttered something, I didn't quite hear what he said, and then he just kept walking."

[JW] said Mikkapati seemed to disappear into the distance after he snapped the photo.

Wow the conditions as he walked off look terrible. I would not want to hike in that. But as a hiker I understand the need to push forward and finish the dang hike once you’ve begun it. Alone like that though is just dangerous. He’s been out there too long!

 

[mesnowmom123]

I know that trail very well; I'm a hike organizer for a very large hiking club in So. Cal and we use this particular trail (we call it Baldy Village to the Summit) to train for other hikes at higher elevation (commonly Mt. Whitney). Somewhere it mentions that Sree had "a lot of the gear you need to survive in the snow" and references "sticks and clamps". Assuming he means poles and crampons, I'm afraid that's just enough to survive in the snow. Hopefully, he carried the 10 Essenstials as well as extra gear, food and water for at couple of nights, which, if he's experienced, could stretch for a while. I worry about "experienced hikers" who take day hikes for granted. Does anyone know at what elevation (or distance from the start) that photo was taken?

I wish I could help.....I know that trail so well.