Missing California Couple Found Dead on ‘Experts-Only’ Climbing Route

Andrew Niziol and Patty Bolan were found dead on May 9 after being reported missing days earlier by a friend

Two mountain climbers who were reported missing on Tuesday, May 7, while on an "experts only" climbing route on Mt. Whitney in California have been found dead.

The climbers were identified as Andrew Niziol of South Lake Tahoe, and Patty Bolan by the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) on Thursday, May 9, The Sacramento Bee reported.

Niziol, 28, and Bolan, 29, were climbing on an "experts only" Mountaineer’s Route on the mountain, located in Sequoia National Park, with their friend Ethan Michael Cannaert when the trio got separated, The Los Angeles Times reported. The group was descending after reaching the 14,500-foot summit when they got separated.

Cannaert wrote in a post to a Facebook group for Mt. Whitney that he expected to meet up with the pair at a spot called "The Notch," a flat spot that climbers often use as a rest stop, according to the paper.

Related: Skier, 43, Who Went Missing on Christmas Found Dead 3 Miles from Resort: 'Heartbroken'

"I waited there for over an hour and was forced to move down the chute to escape the cold wind, but never saw them,” Cannaert wrote in the post, per The Los Angeles Times.

On Thursday, May 9, the Inyo County Sheriff's Office (ICS0) confirmed in a post on Facebook that the climbers had been found dead, although Niziol and Bolan weren't named in the post.

Cannaert called ICSO around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday to report his friends missing, the sheriff's office said.

Related: Retiree Dies from Altitude Sickness While Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro: 'A Great Man' 

"Inyo County Search & Rescue initiated a search utilizing a helicopter and foot teams to search the area," the department added. "Tragically, both hikers were later discovered deceased." The bodies were found in Tulare County and identified by the Tulare County Coroner.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In his final post on Instagram on May 5, Niziol expressed gratitude for his life of climbing and adventure.

Related: 'Incredible' Okla. Firefighter and Dad Who Survived Stage 4 Cancer Dies in Rock Climbing Accident

"If I could go back in time and show 12 year old me what my life is now, I'd make myself so proud 🥹," he captioned a photo on Instagram posing with Bolan, whom he called "the most fun person" he's ever met.

"This is the kind of living I've dreamed about for 15 years. I've finally surrounded myself with people to share these types of experiences with and I couldn't be more thankful," he continued.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.