Teen hiker who died after falling 500 feet from California’s Mt Baldy identified
Three hikers, including a 19-year-old who fell nearly 150 feet, were found dead on Mt Baldy, a snow-capped mountain in Southern California known as one of the most dangerous mountains to climb.
Rescue workers found 19-year-old Marcus Alexander Muench Casanova dead and found two more dead hikers during the search, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
The other two hikers were not hiking with the teenager, and it is unclear how long ago they died on the mountain.
Casanova went for a walk on December 29 with a friend who was able to call for help after the teenager fell. The friend had to walk from the drop site near the Devil’s Backbone trail to an area with cell phone signal and provided GPS locations to rescuers, authorities said. That friend escaped unharmed.
Due to high winds, emergency crews were unable to complete the helicopter rescue operation on Monday, but they managed to retrieve the bodies on Tuesday.
The sheriff’s office said it has rescued five more hikers from the mountain in the past five days.
“We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Marcus,” his family said in a statement Wednesday.
The statement described the California native as “an avid sailor and outdoorsman.”
Rising 10,064 feet (3068 m) in the San Gabriel Mountains, Mt Baldy—formally known as Mt San Antonio—has become one of the deadliest peaks in the United States.
More than 14 people have died on the mountain since 2020, including British actor Julian Sands in January 2023, but their remains were not found until five months later. More than 100 people have been rescued from the mountain since 2020.
Proximity to Los Angeles means Mt Baldy attracts experienced and inexperienced climbers, and authorities have urged people to stay away from the mountain, especially during unpredictable winter weather.
“This is one of the most dangerous trails we have in our area,” San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Jenny Smith said of the Devil’s Backbone trail during a news conference. “We don’t want novice hikers to go up and hurt themselves.”
Southern California was covered in rain and snow last week, but when the teenager went for a walk on Dec. 29, the sun was shining and the sky was blue, with unusually clear visibility across the region.
Mount Baldy was visible throughout Southern California, with breathtaking views stretching as far as Catalina Island.
The weather on Mt Baldy can change quickly and conditions can be challenging due to snow and ice. Climbers adventuring along the Devil’s Backbone trail are recommended to carry crampons and an ice axe.
Following the deaths and repeated rescue efforts, the roads on the mountain were temporarily closed until the new year.
