Climber Jeffrey Mauer killed in Mono County fall

A National Park Service wildlife biologist was killed Sunday in a what appears to be a climbing accident in Mono County.

The Mono County Sheriff's Department received a call that there was a climber down on the third pillar of Mount Dana on Sunday.

According to the sheriff's department, Jeffrey Robert Maurer and a friend were climbing a route known as the "Lenticular Limbo" on the pillar at 10,000 feet.

Maurer was the lead climber and was placing piece of protection up the route when his friend said he felt golf ball sized rocks and realized Maurer was falling.

Climbers on another route heard cries for help and went to the location. Then one climber hiked out to call for help.

Personnel from the Mono County Sheriff's Department, the Mono County Search and Rescue team, and the Yosemite Search and Rescue team responded to Lee Vining Airport awaiting assistance of a CHP helicopter to fly the teams to the location of the fallen climber.

The helicopter was unable to land due to high winds. Ground teams accessed the area in the afternoon, but were unable to reach the victim due to steep, loose terrain and the late time of day.

On Monday, the Mono County Search and Rescue ground team reached the victim. The Yosemite helicopter was unable to land near the victim due to high winds. It transported personnel from Mono County and Yosemite search and rescue teams to the top of the third pillar where they recovered the body. The death is thought to be accidental and is under investigation by the Mono County Sheriff's Department.

Mauer was a bird expert with experience studying great gray owls, northern goshawks, and peregrine falcons in Yosemite before coming to work for the park in 2006.

He had a bachelors degree in physics from University of California, Santa Cruz, and a masters in avian sciences from University of California, Davis.