In a tragic turn of events on a California mountain, three individuals lost their lives when fierce winds forced search-and-rescue helicopters to halt their operations. The incident unfolded on Mount Baldy, a notorious peak known for its perilous conditions.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, responding to a call early Monday, headed to the Devil’s Backbone Trail, where a 19-year-old had reportedly fallen 500 feet. The Associated Press detailed the precarious situation as the sheriff’s air rescue team attempted to locate the young man, along with two others, amid the treacherous terrain.
Spotting the trio was one thing, but landing was another challenge entirely. With Santa Ana winds gusting at 70 mph, the helicopter could not safely touch down, complicating rescue efforts and leaving the fate of the hikers uncertain for hours.
As daylight waned, a medic was finally lowered from the helicopter to assess the situation. By evening, authorities confirmed the grim news: all three individuals had perished. The exact causes of their deaths remain undetermined.
Recovery operations continued into Tuesday, but the unrelenting winds again hindered aerial support, prolonging the ordeal. The identities of the deceased, including the 19-year-old hiker, have not been disclosed by officials, leaving many questions unanswered in the wake of this heartbreaking incident.
Authorities have not yet released the identity of the 19-year-old hiker and the other two bodies remain unidentified, according to police.
The search and rescue effort began after authorities received a call around 11:30am Monday reporting that a friend had fallen hundreds of feet down a narrow ridge of a remote mountainside.
One of the victim’s hiking companions managed to reach an area with cell service and, while on the phone with authorities, provided exact GPS coordinates of the incident.
Three people died on California’s Mount Baldy on Monday, but 70mph Santa Ana wind gusts prevented the helicopter from landing and recovering the bodies
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office responded to Devil’s Backbone Trail at Mount Baldy – one of the nation’s deadliest peaks – to locate an injured 19-year-old man who had fallen 500 feet
The sheriff’s air rescue team spotted the teen along with two others. That evening, after a medic was hoisted down from a helicopter, authorities confirmed all three were dead
Deputies launched an aerial and ground search along Devil’s Backbone Trail at Mount Baldy shortly afterward – a peak rising over 10,000 feet east of the Los Angeles skyline.
Rescue helicopters eventually caught sight of the 19-year-old man and the two others nearby but had to stand down due to isolated gusts from the Santa Ana winds.
Hours later, around 7:30pm, a Los Angeles County airship lowered a medic who confirmed that all three individuals were deceased.
The strong winds, however, rendered a rescue unsafe and delayed the recovery of the bodies yet again.
‘The tragic loss of life on Mt Baldy and repeated rescue responses highlight how dangerous current conditions are, even for experienced hikers,’ San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said, according to USA Today.
‘Weather and terrain remain extremely dangerous and unpredictable,’ she added.
On Tuesday, officials announced an emergency closure of Mount Baldy trails to protect both public safety and rescue crews.
The closure, in effect from 10pm Tuesday to midnight December 31, spans Mount Baldy Road and Glendora Ridge Road and stretches across Iron, Pine and Timber Mountains in the Angeles National Forest.
Recovery efforts for all three bodies continued Tuesday as strong winds again grounded aircraft, with the causes of death still unknown
One of the victim’s hiking companions managed to reach an area with cell service and, while on the phone with authorities, provided exact GPS coordinates of the incident
‘The temporary closure is necessary to prevent additional emergencies and protect lives,’ Sheriff Dicus added.
Those who ignore the closure risk fines up to $5,000 – or $10,000 for organizations – and potential imprisonment of up to six months.
Mount Baldy, rising 10,064 feet above sea level in the San Gabriel Mountains, is considered one of the deadliest peaks in the United States.
Its accessibility from a major city draws both experienced hikers and those ill-prepared for the mountain’s rugged terrain and temperatures up to 40 degrees colder than the surrounding basin.
And with winter in full effect, snow has already blanketed the mountaintop, only adding to the hazards of the trail.
The peak has witnessed over 100 rescues and 14 deaths in the last five years alone, including the death of British actor Julian Sands.
Sands, 65, best known for his roles in Oscar-nominated films including 1985’s A Room With A View’ was reported missing by his family on January 13.He was hiking on Mount Baldy – officially Mount San Antonio – during icy conditions.
Helicopters, drones and more than 500 hours of volunteer search efforts were ultimately unable to recover the actor’s remains.
On Tuesday, officials announced an emergency closure of Mount Baldy trails to protect both public safety and rescue crews
Mount Baldy has witnessed over 100 rescues and 14 deaths in the last five years alone, including the death of British actor Julian Sands (pictured)
The mountain, rising 10,064 feet above sea level in the San Gabriel Mountains, is considered one of the deadliest peaks in the United States
It wasn’t until June 24 – six months after Sands went missing – that three hikers scaling the steep mountain discovered shoes, bones and the star’s driver’s license.
In the weeks leading up to the discovery, hikers had been warned that remains could be on the trails, as helicopters and search teams continued to scour the area.
One of the hikers who spoke anonymously admitted that they worried the melting ice and snow might expose remains.
The group knew Sands’ phone last pinged from a ridge below the mountain’s summit and believed he could have slid down the canyon they were hiking.
Roughly three hours into their nearly eight-hour hike, the group came across a boot – then another shoe just a few yards uphill.
Farther along, they found trekking poles, bones and dark winter clothing. Inside a pants pocket was a driver’s license with Sands’ name and photo.
Upon discovering the remains, the group found one of Sands’ boots had microspikes, which are metal cleats that can be attached to shoes for hiking.
However, the spikes are not meant for hikes where snow is heavy and the terrain is slippery and steep.
Not found along with Sands’s remains were a helmet or ice ax, which one hiker said he should have had for the hike he was on.
When Sands went missing, he was last known to be in the Baldy Bowl Trail area. If he fell from the trail, he could have either ended up in Baldy Bowl or Goode Canyon.
Goode Canyon, where he was ultimately found, is a more treacherous terrain where no one would likely be able to spot him.
It still remains unclear how and when Sands died. In late July, authorities ruled his cause of death ‘undetermined’ due to the condition of his remains.
The three hikers cautioned others about the dangers of winter hiking, stressing the importance of carrying a full safety kit and never becoming relaxed – even on familiar trails.
