Search On For Missing Hiker Possibly In Sequoia National Park

A search was under way Tuesday for Tom Heng, a 31-year-old California man who failed to return from a day hike Sunday. Photo via NPS.

A search was ongoing Tuesday for a California man who went for a day hike Sunday along the Sequoia National Park-Inyo National Forest boundary but failed to return.

The Inyo County Sheriff’s Department and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks were conducting the search-and-rescue operation in and around 14,042-foot Mount Langley in the Inyo National Forest and Sequoia National Park. The missing hiker was 31-year-old Tom Heng, of San Rafael, California.

Mr. Heng was described as standing 6-foot tall, weighing 166 pounds, and wearing his black hair short. He was last seen Sunday 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.

Mr. 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. Mr. 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 Mr. 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.

As of noon Tuesday, 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 also was involved in the search.