In less than two weeks, the rugged terrain inside Sequoia National Park has claimed two lives.

One death occurred near Mt. Whitney and the other occurred near the Watchtower section of the Lakes Trail in Lodgepole.

On May 5, two hikers discovered a body during their descent from Mount Whitney. The pair reported finding two ice axes and what appeared to be a blood trail leading to a body about 1,500 to 2,000 feet below the ice axes, park officials said.

Hikers identified as Eric Juliani and Anton Dokov

That same day, two other people called the park to report that their friend, Eric Juliani, 29 of New Jersey, had not returned from a solo summit attempt via the Mountaineers Route.

On May 6, rangers recovered the body and transported it to Ash Mountain Helibase where it was turned over to the Tulare County Coroner’s Office.

The body was later identified as Juliani.

The hiker's cause of death was blunt force trauma, said Tulare County Sgt. Alan Knight.

According to a Facebook post by Juliani, the hiker had secured a Mt. Whitney Trail overnight permit for May 4 through 6.

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Just 10 days later — May 13, park officials were notified of a hiker that had fallen from the Watchtower section of the Lakes Trail.

Anton Dokov, 29, slipped on the icy snow and slid over a cliff. Dokov, from San Diego, was hiking the Lakes Trail toward Pear Lake before he fell.

Rangers responded that same day, but because of dangerous ice and snow conditions with a very steep slope, they had to turn around. The next day, park rangers were able to find Dokov's body but were unable to retrieve it due to the complexity and technical aspects of the recovery, park officials said.

On Tuesday, Dokov's body was recovered and transported to the Ash Mountain Helibase, where it will be turned over to the coroner’s office.

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Autopsies this week will help determine what led to the deaths.

A Facebook post on Monday by Kain-Murphy Funeral Services, located in Haddonfield, New Jersey, stated Juliani will be remembered for his "sense of humor, kind heart and love of family."

"He was passionate about sports, the outdoors and good food," the post stated. "Eric's personality had a strong impact on those around him and he will be sadly missed by his family and friends."

Family members have asked that instead of flowers, memorial contributions in honor of Juliani be made to the Ryan E. Bishop Leadership Fund, according to the Facebook post.

Other hikers beware, weather conditions are poor

Hikers are cautioned that winter conditions still exist at higher elevations, and extreme caution is necessary, officials warn.

Trails along the Mountaineers Route are still snow covered and ice and will remain so for an undetermined length of time. Some written descriptions of the route note at least one area that holds “water ice” and poses significant risks to climbers attempting to pass it, park officials said.

Specialized equipment such as ice axes and crampons, and experience and training in using them, are generally deemed necessary to safely traverse this route at this time of year.

“Although we’re getting warmer weather in the valley, conditions at higher elevations are still very cold with snow and ice," said Chris Trotter, U.S. park ranger. "Even the most experienced hikers with the best gear can encounter challenges in these conditions.”

For current trail conditions, visit the park website www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit.

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