By admin 
A California climber who set a speed record on Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan died after a fall at a popular Sierra Nevada wilderness area, officials said.
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The National Park Service responded to a “climbing-related incident” in the Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness on Aug. 2, the agency told The Fresno Bee via email.
“Search-and-rescue and recovery operations were conducted over a two-day period,” the Park Service’s Office of Public Affairs said.
Jacob Whisenant, 30, was “found deceased by rangers,” the Park Service said.
Whisenant died due to injuries from blunt force trauma, according to the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office declined to provide further details, referring inquiries to Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks.
Who was climber killed in Sierra Nevada fall?
Whisenaut, who lived in Mammoth Falls, was well-known in the climbing community for his feats, The Guardian reported.
Whisenant and another climber, Brant Hysell, made headlines in 2024 when they climbed El Capitan, described by Yosemite National Park as the “mecca of modern rock climbing.”
The pair made the 2,000-foot trek to the top in just 2 hours, 55 minutes and 32 seconds via the Lurking Fear route.
In an October 2024 Instagram post, Whisenant described the experience as a “truly magical day that I’ll never forget.”
View this post on InstagramA post shared by J🌲ke 🐐 W🌊 (@jake.doubleyew)
“We both tapped into a flow state, fully committed to our plan and most importantly had an absolute blast on our favorite rock,” Whisenant wrote in the post. “We had perfect weather for a shirtless ascent and the entire route to ourselves.”
In May, Whisenant and climbing partner Noah Fox completed the Nose route at El Capitan twice in a day.
They completed the second summit in 14 hours and 38 minutes, according to the Yosemite Climbing Association.
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‘Completely devoted’ climber remembered by friends
One of Whisenant’s friends, Baile Moore, confirmed news of his death in an Aug. 6 Instagram post.
“It is with an impossibly heavy heart that I share the passing of my lifelong friend and confidant — Jacob Daniel Whisenant,” Moore wrote.
“Our family is absolutely devastated by this news but find solace in the fact that Jake died doing what he loves in the beautiful Sierra Nevada,” Moore wrote. “I will look for you in every life, my brother. Now go rest high up on that mountain.”
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Bailee Moore (@baileekmoore)
In an interview with SFGate, Moore described Whisenant as an athletic man who played multiple sports growing up.
“It wasn’t until after he graduated from UC Santa Barbara that he took an interest in climbing,” she told SFGate, describing Whisenaut as a “completely devoted” daredevil who was “passionate” about the sport.
Moore said the deaths of Whisenant’s parents inspired him to live life to the fullest and “soak up as much of every moment” as he could.
“That is really how he lived. So there’s some peace in knowing that he was never afraid for this to be the outcome,” Moore said. “Even if he wasn’t ready, and it is a tragedy, I don’t think that he died afraid.”
Moore told SFGate that it’s unclear whether Whisenant’s equipment malfunctioned.
Fundraiser started for Mammoth Lakes man
On Aug. 9, Moore launched a GoFundMe fundraiser aimed at preserving Whisenant’s legacy and supporting his loved ones including his fiancé, Emma.
As of Tuesday, Aug. 11, the fundraiser had raised $2,382 toward a $3,000 goal.
In the GoFund description, Moore wrote that “Jake Whisenant lived life with a rare sense of purpose” and an “unwavering respect for nature.”
“His sudden and tragic passing has left an immeasurable void in the hearts of all who knew and loved him,” Moore wrote.
This story was originally published August 11, 2026 at 12:11 PM with the headline “California climber who set Yosemite speed record dies after Sierra Nevada fall.”
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