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Jake Whisenant, record-setting speed climber, dies at 30 in climbing accident
NBC News • • nation
Key Points:
- Jake Whisenant, a 30-year-old climber known for setting speed records in Yosemite National Park, died in a climbing accident in California on August 3, according to the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office Coroner.
- The cause of death is listed as an accident, with officials yet to release further details; Tulare County includes areas such as Sequoia National Park and the southern Sierra Nevada mountain range.
- Whisenant was recognized in the climbing community for his speed ascents, including a record-setting climb on El Capitan’s Lurking Fear route in October 2024, completed in under three hours.
- His close friend Bailee Moore described his death as an “unimaginable loss” and emphasized that he was much more than just a climber.
- Whisenant continued to take on challenging climbs, including completing El Capitan’s Nose route twice in one day with fellow climber Noah Fox earlier in May.
