Tragic Loss: 19-Year-Old Hiker Among Three Found Dead on Mt. Baldy
Three Hikers Found Dead on Mt. Baldy Identified
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, Calif. — The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Coroner has confirmed the identity of one of the three hikers discovered dead on Mt. Baldy on Monday. Nineteen-year-old Marcus Alexander Muench Casanova, of Seal Beach, was identified following a tragic incident where a fall near Devils Backbone led to their deaths.
Search and rescue teams responded to reports of a fallen hiker at approximately 11:30 a.m. on December 29. According to authorities, a friend of the injured hiker managed to find a spot with cell service to provide GPS coordinates for the rescue.
Three individuals were located during an initial aerial search. However, extreme Santa Ana winds hindered rescue helicopters from successfully transporting any of the hikers to safety. Attempts to complete a hoist operation around 7:30 p.m. similarly failed, leading an air medic to confirm the fatalities on-site.
As a result of the dangerous weather conditions, portions of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, including the Mt. Baldy area, are currently under a temporary closure until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday.
The identities of the other two deceased hikers remain undisclosed, and it remains unclear whether Casanova was the one who sustained the fall.
In a separate incident, emergency crews conducted a rescue operation near Ontario Peak Trail on the same day, where two other hikers—an 18-year-old man and a 31-year-old man—required assistance after one fell approximately 100 feet. They were able to call 911 for help, and emergency responders successfully executed a hoist rescue.
The investigation into the incidents is ongoing as authorities continue to assess the situation and its implications for hiker safety in the region.
