Officials were still working on Tuesday to recover and identify the bodies of three hikers who were confirmed dead near a Southern California trail known for its sharp drop-offs and physically demanding terrain, after high winds complicated efforts.
The bodies of the hikers were spotted on Monday near Devil’s Backbone, a trail on Mount Baldy that is described on hiking websites as challenging and frequently covered with snow and ice during the winter.
In response to the hikers’ deaths, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department ordered the temporary closure of hiking trails on Mount Baldy until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday.
“The tragic loss of life on Mt. Baldy and repeated rescue responses highlight how dangerous current conditions are, even for experienced hikers,” the sheriff, Shannon D. Dicus, said in a statement on Tuesday. “Weather and terrain conditions remain extremely dangerous and unpredictable, posing a significant risk to both the public and Search and Rescue personnel.”
Violators of the order could face individual fines up to $5,000 and up to $10,000 for groups, as well as up to six months in jail, the Sheriff’s Department said.
A friend who was with the hikers told emergency responders that one person who died was a 19-year-old man who had fallen 500 feet while hiking on Mount Baldy, according to the department.
The three hikers had not yet been identified as of Tuesday. The Sheriff’s Department said that it received a call for help around 11:30 a.m. on Monday from their friend, who hiked to an area with cellular service and gave emergency responders GPS coordinates.
Additional details about the cause of the hikers’ deaths and the surrounding events were not immediately available.
Search-and-rescue teams tried to reach the three hikers by land and air, but severe winds made a helicopter landing or a hoist operation impossible, the department said. Emergency responders lowered a medic to the hikers, who were confirmed dead on Monday, the authorities said.
At more than 10,000 feet, Mount Baldy, formally called Mount San Antonio, is the highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains. It is in the backyard of Los Angeles, its snowy summit frequently juxtaposed against the city skyline.
It regularly attracts hikers with mixed levels of experience, from seasoned mountaineers to weekend warriors, who public safety officials have said don’t always have the proper equipment or knowledge to handle the peak’s demands and hazards.
In 2023, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department raised alarms about the dangers of Mount Baldy and said that permits should be required for hikers, as is the case with some other peaks, including Mount Whitney in California.
At the time, it said that it had conducted at least 100 search-and-rescue operations on the mountain since 2020, and that 10 people had died. That number has risen to at least 14 people, The Los Angeles Times reported.
In 2023, the British actor Julian Sands died while hiking alone on a trail on Mount Baldy. His remains were discovered more than five months after Mr. Sands, 65, disappeared. Severe storms had complicated search efforts.
The Devil’s Backbone trail is 14 miles long and gains 4,274 feet in elevation, according to the website AllTrails.com, which advises hikers to bring crampons and ice axes — and know how to use them — when there is snow and ice.
“Without proper gear, hiking this trail in the winter can be very dangerous,” the website said.
Neil Vigdor covers breaking news for The Times, with a focus on politics.
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