HARLINGEN — A Harlingen man died this week attempting to reach a 10,188-foot camp on Mount Rainier, officials said.
Kevin Kim, 24, who was snowshoeing, was found dead Tuesday at Mount Rainier National Park, the highest mountain of the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest, and the highest mountain in the state of Washington, the Associated Press reported.
The strenuous nine-hour round trip climb marks the dividing line hikers can go on Mount Rainier without a climbing permit.
The News Tribune reports Kim was accompanied by a friend on skis Monday during an attempt to the high camp.
According to park officials, Kim and his friend set a turnaround time of 2:30 p.m. and started to descend the Muir Snowfield when they didn’t reach their destination in time.
According to reports, Kim’s friend made it back to the parking lot quicker because he was on skis and notified the park when Kim didn’t return.
A search and rescue crew started looking for him at 7 p.m., just before sunset.
They checked the main routes from the Paradise area to Panorama Point but found no sign of Kim.
They called off the search at 9:30 p.m. and resumed early Tuesday.
Mount Rainier National Park officials say Kim’s body was located at about the 4,500-foot level in the Nisqually drainage below Paradise Point.
Officials say it appears Kim fell.
The county medical examiner will determine Kim’s cause of death.
Kim’s family and friends were not available for comment and asked for privacy during this time.
