Brief
Climber Brian Seibert dies after fatal fall on Mount Morgan in California
Mono County authorities say Seibert's body was recovered three days after he summited the 13,000‑foot peak.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Hiking enthusiast Brian Seibert summited the north ridge of Mount Morgan, a more‑than‑13,000‑foot peak in California’s Sierra National Forest, on Sunday, according to the Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team. He was found dead near the bottom of Grand Central Couloir three days later, after an "unsurvivable fall" from a steep cliff.
What happened
Seibert sent a 7 p.m. message on Sunday night indicating he was returning from the summit. When he failed to check in the next morning, the Mono County Sheriff’s Office opened a missing‑person report and alerted the volunteer Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue (MONOSAR) team. The search began Monday morning, with a base set up near Crowley Lake and aerial support from a California Highway Patrol helicopter. Volunteers scanned the east gullies with high‑power optics, inserted a team at 11,200 feet on the western side of the summit, and deployed a trained search dog to his parked car.
What the reports add
The LA Times article notes that the mission involved more than 20 volunteers and required over 300 cumulative hours of effort, with assistance from several state and local agencies. Photographic and cell‑phone forensics helped establish a search pattern, and a trail register at the summit confirmed Seibert had reached the peak. His cellphone data suggested he likely descended the same route he had climbed, but the exact circumstances of the fall remain unclear.
What was said
In a Facebook post, MONOSAR described Seibert as a "peak bagger" who loved summiting many peaks. Friend Darin Mitchell commented, "He was truly one of the best and we are all going to miss him," and added, "Looks like he had an amazing last view."
How it came about
Mount Morgan, west of Bishop, is known for technically challenging terrain, including boulder fields, steep gullies, unstable talus slopes and hidden drop‑offs that can conceal a person from ground and aerial views. The difficulty of the mountain’s north ridge contributed to the complexity of the rescue operation.
Key facts
- Brian Seibert summited Mount Morgan's north ridge on Sunday. (latimes.com)
- His body was recovered three days later after an "unsurvivable fall". (latimes.com)
- The search involved over 300 cumulative hours from 20 volunteers and multiple agencies. (latimes.com)
- A trail register confirmed Seibert had reached the summit. (latimes.com)
- Cell‑phone data indicated he likely descended the same route he climbed. (latimes.com)
Sources
- [1] latimes.com — originally reported as “Summit chaser takes fatal plunge after climbing 13,000-foot mountain in Sierras”
