Search continues for Marine who went missing after backcountry ski trip

By Kevin Byrne, AccuWeather staff writer

An intense search and rescue operation continued this past weekend for a missing Marine in the backcountry of the Sierra Nevada mountains after he failed to return from a trip over a week ago.

First Lt. Matthew Kraft’s itinerary took him through the Sierra High Route, officials said. He had set out on his journey around Feb. 23 by hiking into the Kearsarge Pass area and was scheduled to complete his trip around March 4 or 5 near the Twin Lakes area by Bridgeport, California, according to the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office. 

(Photo/1st Marine Division Press Office)

On March 4, Kraft’s father contacted the Mono County Sheriff’s Office after not hearing from his son, authorities said. The Mono County officials began checking trailheads in the area that day. A search and rescue operation was initiated by the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office that same day.

Kraft’s vehicle was located at 9 p.m. Friday night near Lower Grays Meadows above Independence, California, about 130 miles south of Bridgeport. Cell phone forensics also showed Kraft's last cell phone activity was around Independence.

Avalanche debris was spotted by aerial search crews on Sunday throughout the Sierra backcountry and along the Sierra High Route. This included the area near the Kearsarge Trail Head, about 8,000 feet in elevation, where search and rescue volunteers had approached on Sunday. 

(Photo/1st Marine Division Press Office)

Kraft is an infantry officer who is currently stationed at Camp Pendleton.

(Photo/Inyo County Sheriff's Office)

Snowcats were brought in to help with the search and rescue.

(Photo/Inyo County Sheriff's Office)

Heavy snow at the Onion Valley hiker parking lot.

(Photo/Inyo County Search and Rescue)

Rescuers put on skis and were brought by snowcats to higher elevations to help with the search.

(Photo/Inyo County Search and Rescue)

Onion valley road as seen from a distance.

(Photo/Inyo County Sheriff's Office)

View of Kearsarge Pass trail area.

 1 / 7 

"Due to avalanche concerns, the team decided that it would be too risky to proceed," the Inyo County Sheriff's Office said.

Searches on Sunday were primarily air-based, as ground searching was too dangerous due to snow instability, the sheriff’s office said.

RELATED: 
How to stay safe when venturing into avalanche terrain 
How to survive if you get caught in an avalanche 
How do avalanches occur?

“Winter storms in the Sierra have made search activities extremely difficult. However, both ground teams and aerial reconnaissance have been utilized and will continue to be utilized as weather permits,” officials said.

On Saturday, Inyo County search and rescue members deployed a snowcat, a type of equipment designed to move on snow and used for snow grooming or removal, "to rope-tow rescue team members on skis up to the Onion Valley parking area" above Independence to help clear snow on Kearsarge Pass.

Kraft is stationed at Camp Pendleton. He is an infantry officer who has received survival training in the field, according to the Associated Press.

Officials from the California Highway Patrol, Sequoia and Kings National Park, Yosemite National Park, California Office of Emergency Services, Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center and several other agencies were assisting in the search.