Share
A hiker has been missing in Yosemite National Park since the holiday weekend after being swept away by a cold and fast-flowing creek as California’s epic winter snowpack melts.
Hayden T. Klemenok vanished while backpacking with a group at Upper Chilnualna Falls on Sunday, the National Park Service said in a statement.
“At approximately 2 p.m., he entered Chilnualna Creek near the trail junction, and his whereabouts are currently unknown,” the service said.
The section of creek is about a dozen miles south of Yosemite Valley and features a series of waterfalls and cascades that plunge hundreds of feet.
Klemenok’s parents told The San Francisco Chronicle that his friends said the day of the accident was hot and the 24-year-old from Petaluma had gotten down on all fours to wet his face, but his hands slipped and he went into the water.
“It’s the worst experience any parent or family should go through,” said Michelle Klemenok.
California authorities have been warning the public that rivers, streams and lakes are extremely dangerous this year because of the massive runoff. The water is so cold that a person can lose muscle control within minutes, officials say.
Despite the warnings there have been repeated tragedies. Nearly two dozen people have drowned or gone missing in California rivers since mid-April, according to Bay Area News Group, which has been tracking reports from local authorities.
RELATED TOPICS:
Former Supreme Court Justice David Souter, a Republican Who Became a Liberal Darling, Dies at 85
44 minutes ago
Pope Leo XIV Celebrates First Mass as Pope and Calls His Election Both a Cross and a Blessing
48 minutes ago
The Latest: Trump Floats Cutting China Tariffs to 80% Ahead of Weekend Meeting
53 minutes ago
Wall Street Drifts as It Waits for a Highly Anticipated US-China Meeting on Trade
58 minutes ago
National Hummus Day Highlights New Ways to Enjoy an Old Favorite
1 hour ago
Madera Traffic Crackdown Nets 134 Citations, 1 Arrest
1 hour ago
Panasonic to Cut 10,000 Jobs, Expects $900 Million in Restructuring Costs
1 hour ago
US Postal Service Reports $3.3 Billion Quarterly Net Loss
2 hours ago
Other States Are Showing California How to Protect Its Budget Without Cutting Needed Services
15 minutes ago
Categories

Other States Are Showing California How to Protect Its Budget Without Cutting Needed Services

Federal Cuts Threaten Science, Ethics, and Public Health

Former Supreme Court Justice David Souter, a Republican Who Became a Liberal Darling, Dies at 85

Pope Leo XIV Celebrates First Mass as Pope and Calls His Election Both a Cross and a Blessing

The Latest: Trump Floats Cutting China Tariffs to 80% Ahead of Weekend Meeting

Wall Street Drifts as It Waits for a Highly Anticipated US-China Meeting on Trade
