Tallest Mountain In Lower 48 States Claims 2 Lives In California

Two victims have been confirmed after being discovered deceased on the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States after a search got underway earlier this week.

A Central California search party has located two lost climbers on Mt. Whitney, a 14,500-foot mountain located 200 miles southeast of Yosemite Valley. The mountain is the tallest in the U.S. not located in Alaska. Alaska is home to the 10 tallest mountains in the country.

Mt. Whitney has a less than 50 percent summit success rate and has claimed a handful of lives since 2023, according to information shared by sfchronicle.com. Whitney is the eleventh tallest mountain in the U.S.

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The Tulare County Sheriff's Department is handling the investigation, according to details provided by NBC News. A third climber and friend of the deceased contacted police after losing contact with the missing pair. The cause of death has not been released as of Friday morning (May 10).

Mt. Whitney has a less than 50 percent summit success rate and has claimed a handful of lives since 2023, according to information shared by sfchronicle.com. Whitney is the eleventh tallest mountain in the U.S.

May is still a treacherous time of year to attempt to climb any Sierra Nevada mountains due to the presence of snow. Permits are required to attempt the climb, and August and September are the busiest months on the mountain, according to shedreamsofalpine.com. Mt. Whitney is located in the Inyo National Forest.

It's not known whether injury, hypothermia, or something else caused the death of the two missing climbers. An autopsy is currently underway and those results should be released in the coming days. Winter and spring summit attempts are only recommended for experienced climbers.