3 rescued, 2 others missing in Mt. Whitney area

Three mountain climbers stranded by a snowstorm on Mt. Whitney were rescued Thursday, but a search continued for a father-and-son team overdue from a 36-mile hike in the same area, according to the National Park Service.

Still missing were Sinh Baghsohi, 27, and his father, whose first name was not available. They had planned to return Tuesday from a three-day, 36-mile hike starting and ending at Whitney Portal, on Mt. Whitney’s eastern flank, said Dana M. Dierkes, a spokeswoman for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

More than 45 people from the National Park Service, Inyo County Sheriff’s Office, California National Guard and Yosemite Search and Rescue have been assigned to the effort, which continued to be hampered by driving winds and snow accumulations of 3 feet, with higher drifts.

The National Weather Service predicts a 20-40% chance of snow squalls on the peak through the weekend.

“The Mt. Whitney summit is the highest point in the lower 48 states,” Dierkes said. “At that elevation, winter weather arrives earlier in the year, and conditions change fairly quickly.”

Dierkes said the two men had hiked in with a friend, who became ill and returned alone. “At this point, we only have sketchy details about their route, or what they were wearing and bringing up with them,” Dierkes said.

Earlier Thursday, three mountain climbers who had not been heard from since Tuesday morning were found in a stone shelter on the mountain and flown to the nearby community of Lone Pine. They had begun a planned one-day ascent early Monday morning from Whitney Portal, roughly half-way up the mountain’s eastern face, which is the shortest but steepest route to the 14,505-foot summit.

The three men — Phillip Michael Abraham, 34; Stevan James Filips, 43; and Dale Clymens, 45; all of Omaha — had hunkered down in a rock-and-steel hut before they were found by National Park Service searchers and a California National Guard helicopter.

“All three men were able to walk and move around during a quick health assessment by park personnel,” Dierkes said. “Only one of them was taken to a local hospital.”

“This is awesome news,” Brandy O’Conner, Abraham’s girlfriend, said in a telephone interview. “They climbed the mountain on Monday, but after reaching the summit they were hit by 3 feet of snow and treacherous winds.”

O’Conner had been text-messaging Abraham but lost contact with him at 10:28 a.m. Monday, she said. “I didn’t get a text from him until today at 11:40 a.m. He said, ‘I love you.’ ”

O’Conner said rescuers got within a mile from their shelter Wednesday, but turned back due to hazardous weather.

“We have flights home for them on standby,” O’Conner added. “Our hearts and prayers go out to the two missing men, their family and friends.”

louis.sahagun@latimes.com