A Fresno-area contractor who appeared in an HGTV pilot has died during a hiking trip on Mount Whitney, the Tulare County Coroner’s Office confirmed.
Kalem Peter Kazarian, 52, of Fowler, passed away Monday in Sequoia National Park, officials told The California Post. The park sits near the famed mountain, the highest peak in the contiguous United States at 14,505 feet.
Kazarian worked as a contractor in the Fresno area and assisted on a May 2019 episode of “Go Big or Go Home.” The HGTV pilot featured home renovation work in which he participated.
He was married to Jonelle Kazarian, and the couple recently marked their 27th anniversary. Jonelle posted photos on social media showing the pair enjoying hiking together, including a summer climb of White Mountain, another 14,000-foot peak.
The coroner’s office has not yet released Kazarian’s cause of death. Officials also have not disclosed which specific trail or route he was attempting at the time.
Mount Whitney presents two primary approaches for climbers. The Mount Whitney Trail spans 21.7 miles round-trip with more than 6,000 feet of elevation gain. A more technical mountaineering route covers 9.4 miles round-trip up the east face.
The mountain has claimed multiple lives in recent years. In January, one member of a two-person hiking team died after pressing on alone while their partner turned back; search and rescue teams later recovered the body.
In December, crews found 21-year-old Joseph Brambila nearly a month after the solo hiker vanished during his ascent. The Inyo County Sheriff’s Office stated he appeared to have suffered what they described as a “significant fall.”
Risks on the mountain include altitude sickness, falls, and severe cold weather that intensifies in later months. Early fall is widely considered the optimal hiking window, though permits are required for all attempts.
Kazarian is survived by his wife and three children. The family resides in Fowler, a small community located several miles south of Fresno.
The coroner’s office indicated that additional details about the circumstances of Kazarian’s death would be available at a later date.
