2 Northern California hikers found dead on Mount Whitney identified

By Yosi Yahoudai
Founder and Managing Partner

CALIFORNIA, USA — Two hikers were found dead on Mount Whitney Tuesday.

The Inyo County Sheriff’s Office said it got a call around 8:30 p.m. on May 7 about two overdue hikers. The hikers had intended to descend to the Notch. It’s located on the right side of the face of Mount Whitney from the Mount Whitney Mountaineer Route.

The hikers were planning on skiing or snowboarding from the “Notch” to the Upper Boy Scout Lake where they had set up camp.

A person who was hiking with the two hikers waited several hours at the campsite and eventually called the sheriff’s office. 

The sheriff’s office used a helicopter and search and rescue crews to search the area. Both hikers were found dead on part of the mountain in Tulare County. The cause of death hasn’t been released at this time.

The two were identified as 29-year-old Patricia Bolan of Davis and 28-year-old Andrew Niziol of South Lake Tahoe. According to Niziol’s Instagram, the two were dating.

Based on the location where they were found, the investigation is being handled by the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office. 

About the Author

Yosi Yahoudai is a founder and the managing partner of J&Y. His practice is comprised primarily of cases involving automobile and motorcycle accidents, but he also represents people in premises liability lawsuits, including suits alleging dangerous conditions of public property, third-party criminal conduct, and intentional torts. He also has expertise in cases involving product defects, dog bites, elder abuse, and sexual assault. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California and is admitted to practice in all California State Courts, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. If you have any questions about this article, you can contact Yosi by clicking here.