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SAR Bishop/Rock Creek Area

Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 12:16 pm
by jessegooddog
Matthew Mooney
UPDATE: Search teams resumed their work at daybreak. Still no sign of Mr. Mooney at last report.

- Press release from Inyo County Sheriff’s Office:

A multiagency search and rescue effort has been underway since approximately 10:30 PM last night, after Inyo County Sheriff’s Dispatch was notified of an overdue hiker. Matthew Mooney, a 47-year old man from the Swall Meadows area above Bishop, left the Rock Creek area the morning of Aug. 20 for a day hike.

Mooney contacted family around noon from his cellular phone; he said he was heading back from Round Valley Peak and would be home in a couple hours. He has not been seen or heard from since.

Mooney is a former Inyo County SAR member, and is described as an experienced backcountry hiker. He has short gray hair and blue eyes; he’s 6 feet tall and 180 pounds. Mooney was last seen wearing dark green pants and a mustard colored jacket.

Assisting in the search are Inyo County Search and Rescue, California Highway Patrol helicopter H-80 out of Apple Valley, Mono County Search and Rescue, and China Lake Mountain Rescue Group.

If anyone was hiking in the Wheeler Ridge area, east of Rock Creek, and may have had contact with Mooney, they are asked to contact the Inyo County Sheriff’s Department at 760-878-0383.

Re: SAR Bishop/Rock Creek Area

Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 1:21 pm
by maverick
Located here on HST Map: HST Map
It is the peak due east straight across from Roch Creek Lake.
http://www.mountainzone.com/mountains/d ... id=4367356" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here is a link with a photo of Matthew Mooney: http://www.sierrawave.net/26098/rock-creek-area/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Wishing Inyo SAR a speedy and successful rescue of one of there former members!!

Re: SAR Bishop/Rock Creek Area

Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 9:39 am
by orbitor
Unfortunately, Matt Mooney did not survive. His body was found by SAR in a chute above Tamarack Lake yesterday, August 22.
http://www.sierrawave.net/26125/man-falls-to-death/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Condolences to the family and those who knew him.

Re: SAR Bishop/Rock Creek Area

Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 10:40 am
by giantbrookie
Thanks for the update. Condolences to Matt's family and loved ones.

Re: SAR Bishop/Rock Creek Area

Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 12:23 pm
by maverick
Condolences to Matt's family and his loved ones. RIP Matt.

A friend of Matt's wrote over on Supertopo:
Damn, this sucks. I knew Matt from his first stint living in Bishop over ten years ago.
He was a driven climber and athlete. He was really psyched after Croft's 40 classics
book came out, and he did all of the routes in the book in fairly short order. Matt
used to work in the World Trade Center, and was pretty shook up by 911. He even
took a trip back to Ground Zero to check it out not long after the attack. Bishop
attracts wandering souls, like Matt's, and myself. People who come from far
away, but fall in love with the East Side and decide to pitch a tent for a while.
I didn't know he had moved back. What the hell happened up there? RIP Matt

Re: SAR Bishop/Rock Creek Area

Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 1:03 pm
by John Dittli
Another sad day yesterday as yet another fatality in the Sierra: Pat Hadley, I believe perhaps a member of this group....

My condolences to both families and friends.

John

Re: SAR Bishop/Rock Creek Area

Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 10:14 pm
by DAVELA
what is causing all these fatalities?It could be helpful to know how or what exactly transpired when these guys met their demise.I dont know if this is higher than normal number of incidences this year?
Is it the solo aspect where one is injured to the point where they cant get help and succumb?
I just read about snownymphs close-call with "upstairs" via a 500pound tumbling boulder rolling over her back.Sad news,man.

Re: SAR Bishop/Rock Creek Area

Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2013 8:45 am
by goose
http://www.inyoregister.com/node/5015" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: SAR Bishop/Rock Creek Area

Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2013 4:18 pm
by jessegooddog
Very saddened that another high sierra enthusiast has passed away while spending time in these beloved mountains. I send condolences to his family and many friends, may he rest forever in peace.

Re: SAR Bishop/Rock Creek Area

Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 6:44 pm
by KathyW
DAVELA wrote:what is causing all these fatalities?It could be helpful to know how or what exactly transpired when these guys met their demise.I dont know if this is higher than normal number of incidences this year?
Is it the solo aspect where one is injured to the point where they cant get help and succumb?
I just read about snownymphs close-call with "upstairs" via a 500pound tumbling boulder rolling over her back.Sad news,man.

I don't know that there has been a higher number of fatalities this year than other years. They are all just tragic accidents that can happen to any one of us no matter how much or how little experience we have. Loose Class 2 and Class 3 terrain is dangerous, and we all know that, but that does not stop us from experiencing it first hand. The more time you spend in the wilderness off of the trail, the higher your chances of something going wrong. Everyone has to make their own judgement as to when the risk is too much. I've taken a few falls over the years that really scared me, but not enough to stop heading off the trail.

Although this year, the lack of snow has resulted in spending a lot more time on loose crap instead of on nice snow covered slopes. There's more rockfall in areas that are typically snow covered too. Also, low snow years means that where there is snow or glaciers they will be icy earlier in the season. It doesn't sound like the lack of snow was the reason for some of the resent accidents.