Two California hikers who went missing earlier this week on Mount Whitney have been found dead, authorities confirmed.
The Inyo County Sheriff’s Office dispatch received a call on Tuesday around 8:30 p.m. PT regarding the overdue hikers, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office on Thursday.
The hikers had planned to descend to the Notch area on Mount Whitney’s Mountaineer Route with intentions to ski or snowboard back to their camp at Upper Boy Scout Lake, authorities revealed.
The individual who reported the hikers missing had been hiking with them and waited several hours at camp for their return before contacting the sheriff’s office. Inyo County’s search and rescue team initiated a search for the hikers using helicopters and on foot.
Unfortunately, both hikers were later found deceased in Tulare County, California, as stated by the sheriff’s office.
Mount Whitney, known as the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States, is a popular destination for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts, according to the National Park Service.
