"On Monday at around 11:30 a.m., search and rescue teams responded to a request to find an injured man, 19, who had fallen 500 feet while hiking near Devil's Backbone, a sharp ridge flanked by steep drops, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said in a news release. A friend who'd been traveling with him had hiked to an area with cell service and provided GPS coordinates to rescuers, officials said."
"A sheriff's air rescue team spotted the injured hiker, along with two other unidentified people, from a helicopter but strong winds made it unsafe to carry out a rescue, the release states. A Los Angeles County airship was able to hoist down an air medic to the bodies around 7:30 p.m., officials said. The medic confirmed all three people were dead but severe winds again prevented the helicopter from recovering them, they said."
"Rising 10,064 feet above sea level in the San Gabriel Mountains, Mt. Baldy is instantly recognizable as the backdrop to the Los Angeles skyline. It's also one of the deadliest peaks in the United States, in part due to its accessibility from such a large city. That proximity is a draw for both experienced hikers and those who are ill-prepared for the terrain and weather, which can be up to 40 degrees cooler than the basin below. Winter storms recently blanketed the mountaintop in snow."
Three people died on Mt. Baldy after powerful Santa Ana winds blocked helicopter recovery of their bodies. A 19-year-old hiker fell about 500 feet near Devil's Backbone, and a companion provided GPS coordinates from an area with cell service. A sheriff's air rescue team located the injured hiker and two other unidentified people, but winds made an immediate rescue unsafe. A Los Angeles County airship lowered an air medic who confirmed all three were dead, and a ground recovery operation was underway the next day. Mt. Baldy rises 10,064 feet and has seen over 100 rescues and 14 deaths since 2020.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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