Experienced California Mountaineer Dies on Mt. Mendel

n the world of California mountaineering, Patricia Rambert was closing in on the Holy Grail. The 57-year-old Laguna Hills woman had just 39 peaks to "bag" before making a clean sweep of the 247 summits that climbing enthusiasts consider the most notable in the Sierra Nevada. And as she was with most things in life, Rambert was so passionate about reaching her goal that she recently planned four back-to-back outings.