In a tragic turn of events, two climbers who had been reported missing earlier this week on California's towering Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the U.S. outside Alaska, were found dead, officials announced on Thursday. The climbers, identified as Andrew Niziol, 28, and Patty Bolan, 29, had failed to return to their campsite as planned, prompting a friend to alert authorities.
According to the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office, the climbers had intended to ski or snowboard from a flat area known as the “Notch,” a common resting spot for climbers, down to their camp at Upper Boy Scout Lake. The friend, who had been accompanying the climbers, contacted authorities Tuesday night after the pair did not arrive at their campsite.
A search operation involving a helicopter crew and teams on the slopes was swiftly launched. "Tragically, both hikers were later discovered deceased,” the sheriff’s office stated. The circumstances surrounding their deaths remain unclear, but searchers reportedly found two "fall victims" on the north face of the mountain, suggesting a possible fall from the Notch, which stands at an elevation of 14,500 feet.
The case is now being handled by the Tulare County sheriff-coroner’s office, as the bodies were found within its jurisdiction. The victims, Niziol and Bolan, were both accomplished individuals. Niziol resided in South Lake Tahoe, while Bolan had recently completed her doctoral studies in physics at the University of California, Davis, according to the Sacramento Bee.
This incident marks the first deaths on Mount Whitney since October, when a French national, Tom Gerbier, died after falling about 1,000 feet off the Notch, as reported by the National Park Service. The mountain, with its challenging terrain and high altitude, continues to pose significant risks to climbers, underscoring the need for caution and preparedness in such ventures.
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