A 61-year-old Washington state high school teacher fell to his death just two miles into a planned 220-mile solo hiking expedition from Whitney Portal to Yosemite National Park in California. Harris Levinson, who taught American studies and theater at Vashon High School for 20 years, was found dead in the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek after plummeting approximately 100 feet from a ledge.
Levinson began his journey on June 23, 2025, intending to hike the John Muir Trail from Mount Whitney to Yosemite National Park. Before departing, he placed a food resupply cache at Onion Valley that he planned to retrieve on June 29. When the food supply remained uncollected by July 8, a concerned friend contacted Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park to report him missing.
The Inyo County Sheriff’s Office was notified on July 9 and immediately launched a comprehensive search operation. The effort involved helicopters from the California Highway Patrol Office of Air Operations, Inyo National Forest personnel, and ground searchers from Inyo County Search and Rescue. Levinson’s vehicle was located at Whitney Portal, confirming his intended starting point.
Search teams utilized data from Levinson’s satellite messaging device to narrow their search area. Ground searchers discovered his body at approximately 9,400 feet elevation in the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek. The body was recovered on July 12, nearly three weeks after Levinson had begun his trek.
According to friend Carrie McCarthy, who posted on the online platform Caring Bridge, Levinson had taken the climber’s route up Mount Whitney rather than the main John Muir Trail. She described this path as treacherous, difficult, and not heavily traveled. McCarthy indicated that “he didn’t suffer” and that it was clear he died upon impact from the fall.
The Mountaineer’s Route, which Levinson was apparently following, has been the site of multiple recent accidents. Three deaths occurred on this route within one week in May 2024, including a Santa Rosa man who was fatally struck by falling rocks at Ebersbacher Ledges, near where Levinson was found. A friend told the Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber that Levinson chose this riskier route because he had been unable to obtain a permit for the main Whitney Trail, which operates under a quota system.
Levinson taught at Vashon High School from 1997 to 2017, where he instructed American studies, Spanish, and theater classes. He also served as advisor to the school’s Amnesty International club. After leaving Vashon High School, he worked as a Spanish teacher and youth mentor at Tacoma School for the Arts beginning in 2017.
Beyond his teaching career, Levinson was active in the local arts community. He co-founded the nonprofit Sharing the Stage, which connected local youth musicians with headliners performing at Seattle venues. He was also described as a talented writer, theater artist, puppeteer, and stand-up comedian who regularly performed with local theater groups. His most recent stage appearance was in 2024 in Drama Dock’s production of “The Hatmaker’s Wife.” In recent years, he had also become a dedicated pickleball player.
Friend Bill Jarcho, who saw Levinson the night before his departure, recalled that the teacher was both excited and nervous about the journey. Jarcho reported that Levinson expressed having lived a fantastic life with no regrets, speaking both jokingly and seriously about the possibility of not returning from the challenging trek.
McCarthy emphasized that Levinson, an experienced hiker, had been planning the trip for months and was thrilled about the adventure. She noted that people who interacted with him in his final days described him as joyful, eager, friendly, and appreciative of his life and the opportunity for the expedition.
Former students and community members expressed their grief and gratitude for Levinson’s impact on their lives. Former student Alden Hinden-Stevenson wrote in a tribute that Levinson viewed each class as a family unit fueled by friendship and trust, emphasizing that interactions mattered most in his teaching approach.
The Inyo County Sheriff’s Office and Inyo County Search and Rescue extended their condolences to Levinson’s family and friends. They also thanked Sequoia-Kings National Park, Inyo National Forest, and the California Highway Patrol Office of Air Operations for their cooperation and assistance during the search and recovery mission.
