Newport man dies on Mt. Whitney

Deepa Bharath

A 64-year-old Newport Beach man died Saturday night from injuries he

suffered during an accident while climbing Mt. Whitney in the Sierra

Nevada mountains, Inyo County Sheriff’s Department officials said.

Bob Larkin and his wife, Jacqui, 70, had reached the mountain

summit at about 5 p.m. Saturday and were getting back to their base

camp, Sgt. Randy Nixon said.

The couple decided to take a shortcut and slide down in a snow

chute because they had forgotten to take a flashlight and it was

getting dark, he said. But the chute picked up speed, and though

Jacqui Larkin was able to stop herself from falling, she saw her

husband continue down the slope out of control, Nixon said.

Jacqui, who had a cut to her head, managed to inch her way down

the ice and get help from hikers, who put together a search party to

look for Bob Larkin, Nixon said. They couldn’t find him, but a lone

hiker spotted Larkin about 6 a.m. Sunday, he said.

A U.S. Forest Service helicopter found Larkin at about 9:45 a.m.

and flew him out to Lone Pine Airport, he said.

Larkin was active in his Newport Beach community and participated

in several activities, friend Maxine Hanlon said.

“He even volunteered to clean the beaches,” she said. “He was in

fantastic shape and just a very happy and positive person.”

Larkin also ran a team for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer

Foundation’s Race for the Cure in Newport Beach. He was beach

volleyball enthusiast, a ski racer and a member of the Balboa Ski and

Sports Club since 1984, Hanlon said.

Jacqui Larkin said in a statement she issued through Hanlon that

her husband was “the most positive and upbeat individual you can ever

meet.”

Bob Larkin is survived by his wife; daughter Sheila Larkin; son

Bob Larkin; stepsons James, Greg, Richard and John Paley; three

granddaughters; nine step grandchildren; mother Pauline Larkin and

brothers Jack, Dennis and Allan Larkin.

The family is still planning services, Hanlon said.