Missing Hiker Found Dead Atop Darwin Glacier in Eastern Sierra

A hiker who went missing while trekking a mountain in California was found dead after a three-day search.

In a Facebook post, Inyo County Sheriff's Office located the lifeless body of Alan Stringer at the top of the Darwin Glacier - which is near the base of Mount Darwin.

Stringer, 40, of Huntington Beach, was discovered by the staff of Sequoia and Kings National Park on Thursday afternoon at the summit of the Darwin Glacier. Inyo search and rescue crews used a helicopter during the search and retrieval operations.

Officials received a report that Stringer was reported missing Monday evening after he did not return home after his hike near the Bishop area, according to Inyo County Sheriff. The hiker failed to disclose his hiking plans nor potential routes.

The report added Stinger bought ice ax and crampons before the hike. Stringer was wearing clothes suitable for day-hiking only. The InReach device that he used during the trek was not activated, officials said.

Stringer made one call in the Bishop area very early morning November 3 - before his planned hike - using his mobile phone, according to the forensic analysis.

Sheriff Deputies said his vehicle was found shortly after midnight Tuesday morning at the North Lake after checking the trail heads throughout the Bishop area, authorities said.

Routes from North Lake begin at about 9,500 feet (2.9 km) elevation. Temperatures have dropped considerably below freezing point in recent days in that area.

Ground teams, according to authorities, reached Piute Pass, Lamarck Col, and Mount Emerson in North Lake. Thursday's search included Wonder Lake Basin and the summit of Mount Lamarck.

The authorities further provided additional details regarding Stringer's death. The authorities at Sequoia and Kings National Park is already looking into what transpired that led to Stringer's demise as well as the events that led to the recovery of the body, according to the sheriff's office.

GoFundMe placed to help Stinger's family

Stringer, according to his family and friends, is an experienced hiker who loved the outdoors. Although, this time around, he did not disclose to anybody his hiking plans or the routes he was planning to take.

"A good friend of ours tragically lost her husband this week," says to Darren Zimmet, a friend of Stringer's who made a GoFundMe page to help the family. The page also shared that Stringer's wife is 37 weeks pregnant with their first baby.

Contributions will go to the funeral and childcare costs for Stringer's family - which was verified by GoFundMe, according to the page. Zimmet said her friends would like to help provide "baby and mother essentials" so that Alan's wife does not have to worry about the transition period during the first year. She and her group also accept donations in kind, such as diapers and other essentials, which would be delivered to the bereaved family.

"We are heartbroken, and we just want to help his wife, family, and unborn baby girl," the page added. The donations raised more than US$15,000 from more than 190 donors in just two days.