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

[scdiv]

https://nypost.com/2019/12/15/searc...ti-called-off-after-rescuer-tim-staples-dies/

Search and rescue crew member found dead amid search for missing Irvine hiker in Mount Baldy

 

[mesnowmom123]

True. Curious though if he’d hiked this particular trail before. Seems there are several to the summit. I think you’re right that he felt comfortable enough to go on alone. Me, I’d be right behind my friends if they all turned around.

There are four trails to the summit; the one they chose happens to be the longest and steepest. I read somewhere that he's hiked Mt. Baldy several times before - he would have known, then, that once at the top, there are two shorter trails down. Unfortunately, both would have been poor choices in these conditions.
I'm especially upset about the SAR volunteer's death. Both could have been prevented.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Damien High School in La Verne hosted a vigil Sunday evening for Tim Staples, a teacher there who died a day earlier while taking part in the search for a missing hiker on Mount Baldy.

School Hosts Vigil for Rescuer Who Died While Searching for Missing Hiker on Mt. Baldy

 

[rainynights]

Mount Baldy will reopen to recreation on Christmas Day, earlier than expected, as family members prepare to bury a rescuer who died searching for a missing hiker this month.

The emergency closure issued Dec. 12 amid the search for 52-year-old Sreenivas “Sree” Mokkapati was originally slated to remain in place through the end of the year. But it will instead be terminated Dec. 25, Angeles National Forest announced Monday.

[...]

Tim Staples, a 32-year-old teacher who volunteered with West Valley Search & Rescue, was found dead in an ice cute after becoming separated from his partner on the search’s seventh day, Dec. 14.

Staples’ celebration of life has been scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 28, at Abundant Living Church in Rancho Cucamonga.

[...]

Mokkapati, meanwhile, remains missing. The search was suspended following Staples’ death.

Mount Baldy to Reopen Dec. 25 With Missing Hiker Search Suspended; Funeral Set for Fallen Rescuer

 

[Seajay]

I hate to say it but I don’t see any other outcome at this point in time, with conditions as they were, to the point of losing a rescuer, that Sree is still with us. There would be no way for him to survive that long. JMO

 

[Seajay]

So that’s it? Nothing new, not a recovery, nothing? I guess during the spring, after the snow melts, or if we get an unseasonal heat wave, someone will find Sree.

 

[carbuff]

Yeah, seems like that's how it usually goes with people who go missing in the fall or winter. It's a long time until they're found.

 

[Seajay]

It’s just sad cuz he’s apparently still up there. It’s double sad because SAR member Tim Staple lost his life believing that Sree’s life was important. IMO

 

[carbuff]

It’s just sad cuz he’s apparently still up there. It’s double sad because SAR member Tim Staple lost his life believing that Sree’s life was important. IMO

Yeah. SAR members risk so much. Real heroes, every one of them.

 

[Seajay]

Yeah. SAR members risk so much. Real heroes, every one of them.

Exactly. That man did this part time, was young, had a family, worked a full time job and gave his time to save others, without monetary retribution or acknowledgement.

 

[al66pine]

Per link dtd Jan 22, 2020, ~ 6 weeks after reported missing date, he had not yet bn found.
The shocking events on Mt Baldy in December 2019 - the Sree Mokkapati disappearance and Tim Staples death — StrangeOutdoors.com (BTW, many good articles at strangeoutdoors.com)
W a quickie search, I've found no update but could have missed it. Anyone w better search skills want to have a go?

Sad, sad, sad.

 

[jash]

Thanks for bumping this thread. The most recent mention I found of Sree was in this article from March 26th about another man who went missing subsequently. Seems neither has been found to date.

Man missing for three days after telling family he was headed to Mt. Baldy

 

[CastlesBurning]

Remains of missing Irvine hiker found on Mount Baldy months after disappearance

 

[scdiv]

Wow. So sad and relieved he was found. I hope that helps his family in some way.

 

[carbuff]

Rest in peace, Mr. Mokkapati.

 

[JerseyGirl]

RIP Sree and Timothy Staples

 

[kwongfucius]

A STORY OF SCREE MOKKAPATI
Trying to understand what happened

This is just my speculation. Absolutely no idea as to what happened. Just a theory. Hope this is a jumping off point for us to discuss/debate lost hikers and the decisions they make that results in their loss.

In the image above, Scree's planned route can be seen as the red line starting at the bottom and reaching the summit near the top of the image, and then returning the way he came.

According to

Remains of missing Irvine hiker found on Mount Baldy months after disappearance

, his remains were found somewhere around the red dot. Northwest of Mt San Antonio near Fish Fork, as marked by the red dot in the above image.

So the question is, how did he get there and where should we be focusing search efforts in the future.

He's my theory on what happened. On the day Scree got lost, it was near whiteout conditions at the top. Mt San Antonio has a large wide peak with 4 trails that start very far apart from each other. See below. If he had hiked any distance away from the trail he arrive on, Scree could have easily lost track of where he came from. Scree probably found the trail leading north off the summit and thought it was the one he arrived on, the blue marker.

From there, Scree thought he was headed home.

As an experienced hiker with knowledge of this trail, he knew that he had to follow the ridgeline and when the ridgeline split, to take the ridge headed to his left.

There's no marked trail where he went left, but in whiteout snow conditions, it never looks like there's an existing trail. He probably thought the snow fall had covered up the tracks he made coming up.

Once down in Fish Fork, he was totally lost. He probably still thought he was somewhere on the south side of the range.

Please pick this theory apart. It'll only make us better at figuring out where to search in the future.

 

[bombardier]

A STORY OF SCREE MOKKAPATI
Trying to understand what happened

This is just my speculation. Absolutely no idea as to what happened. Just a theory. Hope this is a jumping off point for us to discuss/debate lost hikers and the decisions they make that results in their loss.

In the image above, Scree's planned route can be seen as the red line starting at the bottom and reaching the summit near the top of the image, and then returning the way he came.

According to
, his remains were found somewhere around the red dot. Northwest of Mt San Antonio near Fish Fork, as marked by the red dot in the above image.

So the question is, how did he get there and where should we be focusing search efforts in the future.

He's my theory on what happened. On the day Scree got lost, it was near whiteout conditions at the top. Mt San Antonio has a large wide peak with 4 trails that start very far apart from each other. See below. If he had hiked any distance away from the trail he arrive on, Scree could have easily lost track of where he came from. Scree probably found the trail leading north off the summit and thought it was the one he arrived on, the blue marker.

From there, Scree thought he was headed home.

As an experienced hiker with knowledge of this trail, he knew that he had to follow the ridgeline and when the ridgeline split, to take the ridge headed to his left.

There's no marked trail where he went left, but in whiteout snow conditions, it never looks like there's an existing trail. He probably thought the snow fall had covered up the tracks he made coming up.

Once down in Fish Fork, he was totally lost. He probably still thought he was somewhere on the south side of the range.

Please pick this theory apart. It'll only make us better at figuring out where to search in the future.

Good job, your theory sounds very plausible to me! Honestly I've never been in a hiking environment like this before so I have nothing to 'pick apart' or refute I don't know why people still hike alone these days, it looks incredibly easy to get lost and all turned around.

 

[Suglo]

A STORY OF SCREE MOKKAPATI
Trying to understand what happened

This is just my speculation. Absolutely no idea as to what happened. Just a theory. Hope this is a jumping off point for us to discuss/debate lost hikers and the decisions they make that results in their loss.

In the image above, Scree's planned route can be seen as the red line starting at the bottom and reaching the summit near the top of the image, and then returning the way he came.

According to
, his remains were found somewhere around the red dot. Northwest of Mt San Antonio near Fish Fork, as marked by the red dot in the above image.

So the question is, how did he get there and where should we be focusing search efforts in the future.

He's my theory on what happened. On the day Scree got lost, it was near whiteout conditions at the top. Mt San Antonio has a large wide peak with 4 trails that start very far apart from each other. See below. If he had hiked any distance away from the trail he arrive on, Scree could have easily lost track of where he came from. Scree probably found the trail leading north off the summit and thought it was the one he arrived on, the blue marker.

From there, Scree thought he was headed home.

As an experienced hiker with knowledge of this trail, he knew that he had to follow the ridgeline and when the ridgeline split, to take the ridge headed to his left.

There's no marked trail where he went left, but in whiteout snow conditions, it never looks like there's an existing trail. He probably thought the snow fall had covered up the tracks he made coming up.

Once down in Fish Fork, he was totally lost. He probably still thought he was somewhere on the south side of the range.

Please pick this theory apart. It'll only make us better at figuring out where to search in the future.

Sounds logical. Here’s a current thread of a lost hiker in the Pyrenees. Would love to see your thoughts on where she could be. We are on thread #2 here:

Spain - Esther Dingley, from UK, missing in the Pyrenees, November 2020 #2