Three hikers were found dead near a popular mountain trail in Southern California after high winds hampered search and rescue teams, officials said Tuesday.
Recovery efforts continue on Mount Baldy, also known as Mount San Antonio, east of Los Angeles, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.
The pedestrians have not been identified.
Dangerous conditions and rescue efforts on Mount Baldy, the highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains at more than 10,000 feet, prompted officials to close the area, the department said Tuesday.
“The temporary closure of Mount Baldy Trails is necessary to prevent additional emergencies and protect lives,” San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Diskus said in a statement.
This order will remain effective till Wednesday night.
Hikers were found dead Monday night, just hours after a hiker told authorities his 19-year-old hiking partner had fallen hundreds of feet near Devil’s Backbone, a route widely used to climb Mount Baldy.
An aerial search team found the injured passenger, but high winds prevented them from completing the rescue, the department said. Crews located two other people, who the release said have not been identified.
The area has been affected in recent days by Santa Ana winds, a Southern California phenomenon that can down trees and power lines. The National Weather Service warned of wind gusts up to 85 mph Monday in the Los Angeles-area mountains.
At 7:30 p.m., the crew made another rescue attempt that was unsuccessful, but an air medic was flown down and confirmed that all three people were killed, the department said.
The release did not provide additional details about the two unidentified hikers. A spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
Hours after the first unsuccessful rescue attempt on Devil’s Backbone, a search team conducted a separate rescue operation on a different route on Mount Baldy, the Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.
A hiker who fell approximately 100 feet near the Ontario Peak Trail was rescued using a lift, according to the release.
“Please prepare adequately before hiking, bring appropriate supplies, avoid hiking during inclement weather conditions, carry a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) device, and only hike on open and designated trails,” the department said.
