A resident of South Lake Tahoe, Andrew Niziol waved enthusiastically to his future fiancée as snow blew in around a rugged grotto at Kirkwood Mountain Resort. For Patty Bolan, 29, and Niziol, 28, happiness meant deep snow and towering peaks; in the end, the wild outdoors sparked their newly discovered romance. The friendship that led to the romance started out as regular bar visits and early-morning splitboarding excursions.
They simply were such a fantastic fit, according to Mac Robertson, who became acquainted with Bolan while a graduate student in the physics department at UC Davis. Bolan was getting ready for her June hooding ceremony, having earned her PhD exploring the furthest galaxies in the early universe.
A little adventure was in order before that. Prior to climbing Mount Whitney, Bolan and Niziol made the decision to go to Mount Shasta. As they descended the “final 400 feet” of the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States on May 7, they suffered blunt force trauma that proved to be fatal. Helicopters recovered their bodies the following day. Shifting rocks resulted from the near-vertical terrain being wet and slick due to warming temperatures, according to Lindsey Stine, an Inyo County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson. Several unrealized adventures are left behind by the pair, as Niziol’s social media photos showcasing their numerous winter rides attest to.
According to family and friends, beneath the couple’s passion for the great outdoors lay two joyful and compassionate souls who enriched the lives they touched. Days before they passed away, Niziol posted on social media about his fiancée, saying, “It’s so incredible to have someone to do all these amazing things with on a whim.” The couple had been trying to climb Mount Shasta. “You bring me such joy! Next up, Mt. Whitney in a few of days!
While conducting research in Hawaii, Bolan gave top scientists access to technical information about galaxies and then ran up and down Mauna Kea, the highest peak in the state. A colleague remembered her passing out due to the 14,000-foot elevation change. She was really happy about it. A Belgian man gave her chocolate to revive her.
According to Brian C. Lemaux, a senior scientist at the Gemini North Observatory atop Mauna Kea, Bolan’s remarkable work-life balance allowed the 29-year-old to hold both a vision and conviction uncommon among graduate students. This was made possible by Bolan’s efficiency and organizational skills. He was a mentor to Bolan when she was a student at the Department of Physics and Astronomy at UC Davis, where he received his doctorate. He remarked, “That kind of conviction is otherworldly.” Bolan’s family and friends enumerated numerous hiking and adventure experiences that spanned hundreds or even thousands of miles, including driving a vehicle across Canada, traveling through New Zealand, and scaling mountains in Jordan. For Bolan, what most would consider a once-in-a-lifetime experience was simply another month,
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