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Remaining two of three hikers found dead at Mt. Baldy identified
Mount Baldy, photographed here in 2019, has been the site of more than 230 rescues and eight fatalities since 2017.
(
Robyn Beck
/
AFP via Getty Images
)
Two of the three hikers found dead last week at Mt. Baldy have been identified.
They are Juan Sarat Lopez, 37, and Bayron Pedro Ramos Garcia, 36, according to authorities on Saturday. Both men are Guatemalan nationals living in Los Angeles.
Investigators believe the two fell from the Devil’s Backbone Trail the same day they were found.
Their bodies were discovered when a search-and-rescue crew was dispatched to search for another missing hiker, who was reported to have fallen 500 feet near Devil’s Backbone Trail.
That person was identified later as Marcus Alexander Muench Casanova, 19, of Seal Beach.
Trails still closed
Hiking trails on and around Mount Baldy have been closed by authorities after the deceased hikers were found, until 11:59 p.m. Jan. 7.
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“Our primary responsibility is the preservation of life,” Sheriff Shannon Dicus said in a social media message sent on New Year's Eve. “Closing these trails is a necessary step to mitigate ongoing risks. We urge the community to respect these boundaries.”
The following trails will be closed:
- Forest System Trail No. 7W12 - Mount Baldy Trail
- Forest System Trail No. 7W02 - Mount Baldy Bowl Trail
- Forest System Trail No. 7W05 - Devil’s Backbone Trail
- Forest System Trail No. 7W06 - Three T’s Trail
- Forest System Trail No. 7W07 - Icehouse Canyon Trail
- Forest System Trail No. 7W07A - Chapman Trail
- Forest System Trail No. 7W08 - Ontario Peak Trail
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