High Sierra Topix

On August 22, 2022 Inyo SAR received a call for a missing hiker at Red Lake/ Split Mountain. Than Trong Quang and two others left Red Lake trailhead early on 8/21 to climb the north slope of Split Mountain; class 2.
At 13,200 feet one party member waited 60-90 minutes for Quang and the other party member. Quang “waved them on” indicating he would either fall behind, wait for them there, or head down. No plan was made. Quang was last seen around 3:00pm, the other two party members made it back to the car around 3:30 Monday morning.
Quang had stashed a helmet and jacket at Red Lake and had not returned to pick it up, and the other party members did not see him on their descent.
On Monday August 22, CHP searched using high-powered optics while two SAR members went to the Red Lake trail and interviewed the two other people hiking with Quang.
On August 23 helicopters from Sequoia Kings National Park searched the area with their high-powered optics and found nothing.
On August 24, four Inyo SAR members were inserted via CHP H80; two to the point last seen and two to Red Lake. The two SAR members that were inserted at the higher point glassed the summit, the Tinemaha drainage, the Red Lake drainage, and the lake under Mather Pass. There was no evidence of Quang in any of these areas. The two searched the descent gully, talking with a party of 3 who had gotten “funneled towards the wrong gully” as the two other members in Quang’s party did on their descent. Both parties were able to turn around and find the correct descent. H80 continued to spend the entire day thoroughly covering the area.
The two SAR members at Red Lake glassed the area with no evidence of Quang. They also spoke with one hiker coming down early who also mentioned getting “funneled towards the wrong gulley.”
The high elevation of the point last seen and extremely hot weather have been challenging for both helicopter operations and ground searchers. Thank you to California Highway Patrol Inland Division Air Operations, Sequoia/ Kings Canyon National Park, and members of the public who have provided valuable information. If anyone was hiking in the area and has relevant information that can be shared, you are asked to contact Inyo County Sheriff’s Dispatch at 760-878-0383, option 4.

Update on the search for missing hiker Quang Trong Than:

Search and rescue teams at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks continue to work with Inyo National Forest to try to locate Than. In addition to ground teams and dogs, the team is using infrared imaging and drones. Many people have asked for details about the location where Than was last seen. Split Mountain is on the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Kings Canyon National Park. Than and his group accessed the area from roads on the east side of the Sierra, then hiked through Inyo National Forest. Than became separated from his group at the base of the summit. If you hiked in this area on 8/21 or later, please call 559-565-4296.

For the past 10 days, searches have been underway in Kings Canyon National Park and Inyo National Forest for Quang Trong Than, 66, of Newport Beach, CA. The search for Than is scaling back to limited continuous mode. This means that while searching will continue, the large number of resources and personnel that have been dedicated to this effort will be reduced. The search will remain in limited continuous mode until Than is found.

Than was last seen on August 21 between 3 and 4 p.m. near the peak of Split Mountain, on the Sierra Nevada Crest, close to the boundary between the national park and the national forest. Than became separated from his group at the base of the summit. His intended plan was to day hike to the summit of Split Mountain and exit the same day via Inyo National Forest. He was not carrying overnight gear.

Searchers have utilized a broad range of search techniques, including ground search and rescue, aerial searches via helicopter and unmanned aerial systems, infrared flights, canine search teams, trail containment, and investigations. Despite these efforts, Than’s whereabouts remain unknown. Than’s itinerary was an extremely challenging one and few other hikers were in the area.

Simultaneous searches have been led by Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and the Inyo County Sheriffs Department, with the assistance of Inyo National Forest, Inyo County Search and Rescue, California National Guard, Sierra Madre Search and Rescue, the Airforce Rescue Coordination Center, Tulare County and Los Angeles County Sheriffs Departments, Yosemite, Death Valley, and Pinnacles National Parks, Civil Air Patrol, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Management, and California Highway Patrol Inland Division Air Ops.

Than is 5 feet 2 inches tall, Asian, 145 pounds, with gray hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a red backpack, blue hiking shirt, and gray hat. Anyone who was in the area where he was last seen on or around August 21 is urged to contact NPS Investigative Services at 888-653-0009 or nps_isb@nps.gov.

This is the final news release about this search and rescue operation unless new information becomes available.