Hiker killed by falling rock near Mt. Whitney, deputies say. Third fatality in a week

Thaddeus Miller
·1 min read
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A hiker in the Mt. Whitney region died Sunday, marking the third fatality in a week, according to the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office.

The hiker was hit by a falling rock Sunday morning in the area of the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek, the sheriff’s office said on Monday.

A search and rescue team scrambled to begin the rescue efforts, deputies said, but officials determined the hiker’s injuries were fatal.

A California Highway Patrol helicopter assisted, hoisting the body of the hiker from the mountain and taking the hiker to Lone Pine before they were turned over to the Inyo County Coroner’s Office, deputies said.

The hiker, who deputies have not identified publicly, was the third body to be recovered in four days.

Two climbers who died last week on California’s highest peak were identified by the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office as Andrew Niziol, 28, a resident of South Lake Tahoe, and Patty Bolan, 29, who had just completed her doctoral studies in physics at UC Davis, officials said last week.

Niziol and Bolan, who appeared to be dating, were outdoor enthusiasts and had taken a long-term hiking trip around the state.

“Early spring conditions prevail on the mountain, with treacherous steep snow, loose rock, and variable weather,” Inyo County Sheriff’s Office said on social media on Monday. “Parties venturing onto Mt. Whitney should stay together, turn around before deteriorating conditions become unmanageable, make responsible decisions, and be prepared and fit.”