3 Hikers Die On Mount Whitney In Less Than A Week: Authorities

INYO COUNTY, CA — Three people have died in the Mount Whitney area within the last week, according to authorities.

Emergency personnel received a call around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday from a person who had been hiking with two people who planned to descend to the Notch on the right side of the mountain’s face and then ski or snowboard back to their camp at Upper Boy Scout Lake, authorities said.

The hikers did not return after several hours and were later discovered dead after a search involving a helicopter and foot teams, the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Thursday, adding the case was being handled by Tulare County authorities due to where the bodies were found.

On Sunday morning, first responders were contacted again, this time about a hiker who suffered a severe injury after being hit by a falling rock in the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek, law enforcement said, adding the person died of their wounds.

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

The summit of the Sierra Nevada, Mount Whitney is the highest peak in the 48 contiguous states at 14,494 feet, according to Britannica.