South Lake Tahoe man identified as one of two hikers found deceased on Mt. Whitney

INYO COUNTY, Calif. - The Inyo County Sheriff's Office responded to a call regarding two overdue hikers on Mt. Whitney on Tuesday, May 7 around 8:30 p.m. The hikers intended to descend to the “Notch” with the intention of skiing/snowboarding from the “Notch” back to Upper Boy Scout Lake where they had set up camp. The “Notch” is located on the right side of the face of Mt. Whitney from the Mount Whitney Mountaineer Route.

The caller had been hiking with the missing hikers and waited for them at the campsite for several hours. When the pair did not return, they contacted Inyo County Sheriff's Office dispatch who initiated a search using a helicopter and foot teams.

Tragically, both hikers were found deceased. They have been identified as Andrew Niziol, 28 of South Lake Tahoe, and Patty Bolan, 29. According to Niziol's social media, he worked at the Riva Grill in South Lake Tahoe and was in a relationship with Bolan. She studied physics at Boston College and just finished her doctorate at UC Davis, according to the Sacramento Bee.

Agencies involved in the search include Tulare County Sheriff’s Office/ Coroner, Sequoia Kings National Park, CHP Inland Air Operations Division H82, and Inyo County Search and Rescue.