Three hikers have been found dead in southern California, including a 19-year-old who fell 500 feet from the Devil’s Backbone trail of Mount Baldy, police say.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department responded to a request to locate the teen hiker at about 11:30 a.m. local time on Monday.
When the hiker plunged hundreds of feet, his friend moved to an area with cell service to get help, providing GPS coordinates to rescuers.
The sheriff’s department sent ground rescue crews and started an aerial search. Rescuers on a helicopter found the hiker as well as two other individuals nearby. But they were not able to safely complete the rescue because of severe winds.
Later that night, a medic from a Los Angeles County airship hoisted down to the individuals and confirmed all three were dead. The chopper could still not complete the rescue due to weather conditions.
As of Tuesday morning, recovery operations were still underway. The identities of the hikers have yet to be revealed.
The Independent has reached out to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department for any updates.
Mount Baldy is located in the San Gabriel Mountains and rises more than 10,000 feet above sea level. It is known as one of the deadliest peaks in the country, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The Devil’s Backbone trail is described by Mt Baldy Ski Lifts Inc. as a “spine-tingling hike.” It stretches 6.6 miles out and back and there is an elevation change of 2,350 feet.
According to the company’s “Mountain Report” for Tuesday, it is “breezy and chilly” on the peak. Wind chill values dipped to around 25 degrees Fahrenheit early Tuesday morning and northeast winds are forecasted at 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.
