MSR Head to Sequoia National Park to Assist in Search for Missing Hiker

Search for Missing Hiker in Sequoia National Park and Inyo County in/around Mount Langley

On Tuesday night Inyo County requested assistance from the Los Angeles County Sheriff Search & Rescue teams to help in an on going search for a missing hiker in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Forest. Members of the Montrose Search & Rescue team left early Wednesday morning to assist them in the search.
“It appears this hiker is very experienced, having climbed many peaks in the Sierra Nevada range in recent months. His intended destination was Mount Langley (14,042 feet above sea level),” said John Camphouse, MSR captain.

The Inyo County Sheriff’s Department and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are currently conducting a search-and-rescue operation in/around Mount Langley (14,042 feet), in the Inyo National Forest and Sequoia National Park for a missing hiker. The missing hiker is Tom Heng, a 31-year-old male, from San Rafael, CA. Heng, who is 6’0” tall, weighs 166 lbs., and has short black hair, took a day hike to Mount Langley on Sunday, July 22, 2012. He was last seen on the same day on Mount Langley at approximately 13,000 feet at 1 p.m. His hiking route was expected to include Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead through New Army Pass to the summit of Mount Langley, with a return to the Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead. Heng was last seen wearing: a white t-shirt, blue pants, tan full-brimmed hat, and sunglasses. He was also carrying a black-hooded sweatshirt and wearing size 11 North Face mid-rise hiking shoes. Heng has a scar from his left ear to the base of his neck and a large scar on his left arm from elbow to wrist. If you have seen Heng, please contact the Inyo County Sherriff’s Department at 760-878-0383 or Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Dispatch at 559-565-3195. (See attached flyer for a photo and key information.) Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park was notified by the Inyo County Sheriff’s Department about the missing man on July 23, 2012, at approximately 5:40 p.m. As of 12 noon on July 24, 2012, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks’ staffing of this incident included 20 people and one helicopter. An additional helicopter and related staff from Yosemite National Park have recently joined the search.