Vigilance urged as missing National Park hiker who separated from group is found dead by family members

High Sierra mountains at Sawtooth peak with a lake in front
The incident marks the fifth fatality at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in 2025 (Image credit: NPS photo/Rick Cain)

Officials at Sequoia National Park are reminding hikers to stay vigilant after a missing hiker was found dead in the park. The incident is the fifth fatality within Sequoia and Kings Canyon Parks this year.

According to a news release from the California park, 36-year-old Drew Hall was hiking in rugged terrain on Saturday, July 12, when he disappeared. He had reportedly separated from his group earlier in the day and made plans to meet later. When he failed to show up at the appointed time, family members reported him missing.

A search and rescue mission for Hall, a local resident of nearby Visalia, was launched on Sunday morning, but it was his own friends and family who discovered his body below Sawtooth Peak at around 3pm that day.

Hall is described in the report as "fit and active," and a GoFundMe account set up in his name says he was a basketball coach for Golden West High School and a father of two.

“We encourage everyone to take extra precautions and remain vigilant while enjoying the beauty of these National Parks. Safety must always come first," says Chief Ranger David Fox.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon emergency personnel say they have been activated for 60 search and rescue incidents this year, and this was one of five that occurred over this past weekend.

Hiking safety

It's always worth remembering that hiking and recreating in the backcountry is an inherently risky activity, and while tragic accidents may not be avoidable, there are steps you can take to help keep yourself safe.

Julia Clarke

Julia Clarke is a staff writer for Advnture.com and the author of the book Restorative Yoga for Beginners. She loves to explore mountains on foot, bike, skis and belay and then recover on the the yoga mat. Julia graduated with a degree in journalism in 2004 and spent eight years working as a radio presenter in Kansas City, Vermont, Boston and New York City before discovering the joys of the Rocky Mountains. She then detoured west to Colorado and enjoyed 11 years teaching yoga in Vail before returning to her hometown of Glasgow, Scotland in 2020 to focus on family and writing.