Army veteran falls to his death trying to climb Mount Whitney in California

Altitude sickness and severe storm conditions likely caused an Army veteran to fall to his death while trying to climb Mount Whitney in the eastern Sierra Nevada, authorities said Tuesday.

The Inyo County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that Eric Goepfert, 50, had planned a five-day, four-night trip in the backcountry. His wife called the sheriff's office when he didn't come home as planned Dec. 17.

Two days later, searchers using an avalanche probe found Goepfert's body "under deep snow" at the base of the Ebersbacher Ledges.