😱 He summited America’s tallest peak for his 21st birthday… then told another hiker he was taking a “dangerous shortcut” down the icy slope.

No one’s seen 21-year-old YouTuber Joseph Brambila since November 11.

His car is buried in snow at the trailhead.

Hikers spotted what looks like a BODY 1,000 feet below the treacherous “Chute” he loved sliding down in his viral videos.

Search teams are grounded by brutal winter storms – recovery might not happen until SPRING.

Is this daring influencer’s risky glissade his final thrill? 😰

Family clings to hope, but experts say… it’s grim.

Full chilling details – you won’t believe what his last words on the mountain were… 👇

A month after 21-year-old Joseph Brambila disappeared while descending California’s Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States, concerns are mounting as heavy snow and treacherous conditions have stalled search efforts.

Brambila, a social media content creator known for documenting his outdoor adventures on YouTube, set out solo on November 10, 2025, aiming to celebrate his recent 21st birthday by summiting the 14,505-foot mountain in the Sierra Nevada range. He had successfully reached the top earlier in the year during summer conditions but chose to tackle it again as winter was setting in.

The young hiker from southeast Los Angeles County was reported missing on November 15 after failing to return home as planned on November 13. His black Nissan Sentra remains parked at the Whitney Portal trailhead, now nearly buried under accumulating snow.

Authorities with the Inyo County Sheriff’s Department launched extensive ground and air searches, but severe weather — including plummeting temperatures and heavy snowfall — quickly complicated operations. Reports from other hikers emerged suggesting a body had been sighted approximately 1,000 feet below a steep section known as “the cables” on the Mount Whitney Trail.

The Fowler-O’Sullivan Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports families of missing hikers, has been assisting Brambila’s loved ones and coordinating with officials. Foundation founder Cathy Tarr told outlets that while the family holds out hope, the sighting aligns with Brambila’s last known location, estimating a high probability it could be him.

One of the last people to see Brambila alive was fellow solo hiker Luis Buenrostro, who encountered him on the summit on November 11. The two briefly chatted before parting ways at Trail Crest, a high pass on the descent route.

Buenrostro later recounted to the Los Angeles Times that Brambila mentioned plans to take a “shortcut” down a snowy chute — a maneuver known as glissading, where hikers slide on their backsides to save time and energy. Brambila had previously filmed himself performing similar slides on the mountain in June 2025, posting videos showing him whooping with excitement as he tumbled down softer summer snow without standard safety gear like a helmet or proper ice axe.

In those earlier videos, Brambila appeared to embrace the thrill, but mountaineering experts have criticized the technique as highly risky without appropriate equipment. Dave Miller, a veteran guide with International Alpine Guides in Mammoth Lakes, reacted strongly when shown one of Brambila’s glissade clips, expressing concern over the lack of control and potential for catastrophic falls.

Buenrostro noted that Brambila carried a gardening hatchet rather than a dedicated ice axe for self-arrest — a method to stop an uncontrolled slide. Despite internal reservations, Buenrostro chose not to advise against the plan, later explaining he didn’t want to come across as overly cautious.

Brambila’s girlfriend, Darlene Molina, described him to SFGATE as an experienced and prepared hiker who enjoyed solo trips to “disconnect from the real world” and connect with nature. She emphasized that he packed gear including an ice axe, military rations, and a heavy-duty tent for this excursion. Molina added that Brambila had previously turned back from challenging hikes, such as one on Yosemite’s Half Dome, when conditions felt unsafe.

On his YouTube channel, Brambila chronicled multiple attempts to summit Mount Whitney, joking in one video about lacking essential items like a first aid kit or compass during an earlier trip with his mother. He celebrated his successful July 2025 ascent as his “fifth time’s the charm” after several prior failures.

The Mount Whitney Trail is renowned for its demanding 22-mile round-trip with over 6,000 feet of elevation gain, attracting thousands of permit holders annually during peak season. However, November brings unpredictable weather, with rapid shifts from manageable to life-threatening conditions. Glissading, while popular for efficient descents, is cited by organizations like the American Alpine Institute as a common factor in mountaineering accidents when performed improperly or in hardening snow.

Search operations involved helicopters, ground teams, and even a cadaver dog, but ongoing storms have rendered further attempts too dangerous. Officials have indicated that full recovery efforts may be postponed until spring when snow melts and access improves.

Family and friends have publicly appealed for information, sharing details on social media and through the Fowler-O’Sullivan Foundation. Some hikers who encountered Brambila on his ascent reported positive interactions, describing him as enthusiastic and determined.

As of mid-December 2025, no confirmed recovery has occurred, and Brambila remains classified as missing. The case has drawn attention to the risks of solo winter hiking on high-altitude peaks, even for those with prior experience.

Mount Whitney, part of Sequoia National Park and the Inyo National Forest, requires permits year-round, though enforcement and conditions vary seasonally. Experts stress the importance of proper gear, awareness of weather forecasts, and informing others of itineraries — steps Brambila reportedly took, though the mountain’s unforgiving nature prevailed.

The Inyo County Sheriff’s Department continues to monitor reports and urges anyone with potential information to come forward. For now, Brambila’s loved ones wait, holding onto slim hope amid a landscape locked in winter’s grip.