{"id":493249,"date":"2026-10-12T03:44:21","date_gmt":"2026-10-12T03:44:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/493249\/"},"modified":"2026-10-12T03:44:21","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T03:44:21","slug":"hiker-sent-last-text-before-falling-13000ft-down-californias-mount-morgan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/493249\/","title":{"rendered":"Hiker sent last text before falling 13,000ft down California’s Mount Morgan"},"content":{"rendered":"

A missing California climber who died after an \u201cunsurvivable\u201d fall last week<\/a> after summiting the 13,000-foot peak of Mount Morgan had sent a final text hours before his death. <\/p>\n

Brian Seibert, 53, had sent a message around 7 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4, alerting that he was on his way down. But he suffered a fatal fall and was recovered more than 72 hours after plunging off a cliff ledge at the base Grand Central Couloir.<\/p>\n

The Mono County Sheriff\u2019s Search and Rescue Team responded to a report on Monday, Oct. 5, after Seibert failed to return as expected around 11:30 p.m., according to authorities.<\/a><\/p>\n

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Seibert\u2019s body was recovered early Wednesday this week. Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team<\/p>\n

A hiker plunged to his death after summiting a 13,000-foot mountain in California. Mono County Sheriff’s Office<\/p>\n

Investigators and local experts pieced together evidence through photo topographic matching, extensive cell phone forensics, and a K-9 search of Seibert\u2019s vehicle.<\/p>\n

Rescuers used a Cal Guard CH-47 Chinook to deploy rescuers at 12,500 feet to resume the search on Monday, Oct. 5.<\/p>\n

Seibert died after falling off a cliff ledge at the base Grand Central Couloir last week. Mono County Sheriff’s Office<\/p>\n

\u201cJust after 1400 hours [on Tuesday, Oct. 6], the Schooner crew identified an anomaly from the air near the bottom of Grand Central Couloir, which is a prominent east-facing gully off of the summit proper,\u201d said Mono County Search and Rescue<\/a>, a volunteer wilderness rescue team.<\/p>\n

Another team which had been following a single set of tracks descending the couloir made their way to the anomaly, which turned out to be the missing climber, Seibert. <\/p>\n

\u201cDue to the extremely challenging nature of the terrain between Brian\u2019s location and the nearest landing zone, it was determined that there would be insufficient time to safely complete the recovery that [Tuesday],\u201d the rescue group said. <\/p>\n

Seibert\u2019s body was recovered early Wednesday by Yosemite National Park shorthaul-capable helicopter 551 and crew from YOSAR.<\/p>\n

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