Full Transcript for Mount Baldy - Strange Disappearances

00:03:49.840 of risk involved, when you add in the almost twenty 68 00:03:49.879 --> 00:03:53.240 four million people who live in southern California alone, deaths 69 00:03:53.240 --> 00:03:57.240 and serious injuries would be just as inevitable. In fact, 70 00:03:57.400 --> 00:04:00.000 between the years of twenty seventeen and twenty twenty two, alone, 71 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:03.280 owned search and rescue teams conducted a whopping two hundred 72 00:04:03.319 --> 00:04:06.479 and thirty three missions on Mount Baldy, resulting in eight 73 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:10.599 fatalities and countless serious injuries. Now, the man who I 74 00:04:10.639 --> 00:04:14.080 mentioned at the beginning, Julian Sands. He's a British actor 75 00:04:14.120 --> 00:04:16.560 who's appeared in dozens of TV shows and movies since 76 00:04:16.600 --> 00:04:19.639 the nineteen eighties. He's perhaps best known for his roles 77 00:04:19.639 --> 00:04:22.800 in the hit TV show twenty four starring Kiefer Sutherland, 78 00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:25.319 and movies Like A Room with a View and Leaving 79 00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:28.439 Las Vegas. He was born in England but moved to 80 00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:31.560 southern California in the nineteen eighties. At the time of 81 00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:35.079 his disappearance on January thirteenth, twenty twenty three, he was 82 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:38.360 living in southern California and at sixty five years of age. 83 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:41.480 According to the San Bernardino County in the Sheriff's Department, 84 00:04:41.720 --> 00:04:44.199 when they checked his cell phone records, his phone had 85 00:04:44.279 --> 00:04:46.560 last pained in the Baldy Bowl area of the mountain. 86 00:04:47.040 --> 00:04:50.199 Julian has been described as a dedicated mountaineer for recent 87 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:52.839 winter storms on the mountain that included snow, ice, and 88 00:04:52.879 --> 00:04:55.720 extreme winds oft of the Sheriff's Department warning that the 89 00:04:55.720 --> 00:04:59.040 conditions are adverse and extremely dangerous even for the most 90 00:04:59.120 --> 00:05:03.240 experienced hikers. The treacherous conditions have also posed a problem 91 00:05:03.240 --> 00:05:06.879 in rescue missions for not only Julian Sands, but others 92 00:05:06.920 --> 00:05:11.079 as well. Julian's last cell phone ping was on January fifteenth, 93 00:05:11.120 --> 00:05:13.600 which was two days after he had been reported missing, 94 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:16.360 but after that it appears as though the battery ran 95 00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:20.079 out on his phone. His car was located on January eighteenth, 96 00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:22.560 but he yielded no further clues as to what could 97 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:26.040 have happened to him. The Baldy Bowl Trail climbs three 98 00:05:26.120 --> 00:05:28.600 thy nine hundred feet over four and a half miles 99 00:05:28.639 --> 00:05:31.519 and leads to the highest summit in the San Gabriel Mountains. 100 00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:35.040 The reports of avalanches in that same area around the 101 00:05:35.040 --> 00:05:39.000 time that Julian disappeared. A representative for the San Bernardino 102 00:05:39.079 --> 00:05:42.480 Rieff's department stated, quote, the air search is being resumed 103 00:05:42.800 --> 00:05:44.800 for we have not been able to resume a ground 104 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:47.480 search yet due to icy conditions and a threat of 105 00:05:47.519 --> 00:05:51.879 avalanches end quote. Julian's family put out a statement eleven 106 00:05:51.959 --> 00:05:53.959 days after he has said to have gone missing that 107 00:05:54.079 --> 00:05:57.000 praised the heroic search teams and the efforts they made, 108 00:05:57.040 --> 00:05:58.920 both on the ground and in the air to try 109 00:05:58.959 --> 00:06:02.480 and bring Julian home one way or the other. Julian's 110 00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:05.160 brother Nick was quoted as saying, quote, I've come to 111 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:07.800 terms with the fact he's gone, and for me, that's 112 00:06:07.800 --> 00:06:11.040 how I've dealt with it. End quote. Or weather conditions 113 00:06:11.040 --> 00:06:16.279 severely hampered more searches on higher ground. The California Highway patrols. 114 00:06:16.360 --> 00:06:19.120 Air ops were even brought in to use their Reco device, 115 00:06:19.240 --> 00:06:20.920 which is said to be able to locate and pick 116 00:06:21.000 --> 00:06:25.800 up reflective material, including in some cases, credit cards. The 117 00:06:25.879 --> 00:06:29.360 Reco device also picks up on reco reflectors often worn 118 00:06:29.399 --> 00:06:33.120 by mountaineers on their bags and clothing. Helicopters have been 119 00:06:33.120 --> 00:06:35.720 grounded with the high winds and no other information has 120 00:06:35.720 --> 00:06:39.360 come to light at this point. As always, we're keeping 121 00:06:39.399 --> 00:06:41.759 the family in our hopes and prayers, and we'll keep 122 00:06:41.800 --> 00:06:44.040 you updated as much as we can with any new 123 00:06:44.120 --> 00:06:47.920 or pertinent information. Now, Julian Sands was not the only 124 00:06:47.959 --> 00:06:50.279 person who have gone missing on this particular mountain this 125 00:06:50.319 --> 00:06:53.800 month alone, and the other man has recently been found 126 00:06:53.879 --> 00:06:59.160 miraculously alive. Perhaps this will bring some hope to Julian's friends, fans, 127 00:06:59.160 --> 00:07:02.279 and family and other loved ones, as well as the 128 00:07:02.319 --> 00:07:06.560 investigators and SAAR teams retirelessly searching for him as best 129 00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:10.279 they could given the severity of the weather. Jim Chung 130 00:07:10.639 --> 00:07:12.800 is a seventy five year old Los Angeles native who 131 00:07:12.879 --> 00:07:16.800 was reported dismissing on January twenty second. Jim had carpooled 132 00:07:16.839 --> 00:07:19.720 to Mount

Baldy with two other individuals, but is said 133 00:07:19.759 --> 00:07:22.720 to have separated from them once they arrived. This was 134 00:07:22.759 --> 00:07:26.319 at approximately six in the morning. The three hikers were 135 00:07:26.319 --> 00:07:28.160 supposed to meet back at the vehicle at two in 136 00:07:28.160 --> 00:07:31.279 the afternoon that same day, but Jim never showed up. 137 00:07:32.120 --> 00:07:35.480 Once again, a high wind warning prohibited use of helicopters 138 00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:40.680 in an aerial search, but ground searches continued. Happily, Jim 139 00:07:40.759 --> 00:07:44.480 was found on Tuesday, January twenty fourth, alive and somewhat well. 140 00:07:45.160 --> 00:07:48.000 He was taken to the hospital with weather related injuries 141 00:07:48.040 --> 00:07:51.079 and a leg injury, according to the Sheriff's Department, but 142 00:07:51.160 --> 00:07:53.360 he was still able to walk on his own along 143 00:07:53.399 --> 00:07:58.040 with rescue personnel to safety with some assistance. There are 144 00:07:58.040 --> 00:08:00.199 no further updates as to what happened to Jim while 145 00:08:00.199 --> 00:08:01.879 I was there on the mountain, or how he came 146 00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:04.879 to be lost or sustained his injuries. It seems as 147 00:08:04.920 --> 00:08:07.360 though we have a somewhat happy ending in that case. 148 00:08:09.800 --> 00:08:14.439 On Sunday, September fourth, twenty twenty two, forty five year 149 00:08:14.439 --> 00:08:18.759 old Ontario man named Carlos Monet Garcia also went missing 150 00:08:18.839 --> 00:08:21.519 on Mount Baldy and joined a long list of hikers 151 00:08:21.519 --> 00:08:24.519 who ended up missing after tiring to summit Cucamonga Peak. 152 00:08:25.079 --> 00:08:27.240 Carlos and some friends were out for a day hike 153 00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:30.399 and for as yet unknown reasons, he decided to separate 154 00:08:30.439 --> 00:08:33.559 from those friends on the switchbacks below the peak. He 155 00:08:33.639 --> 00:08:35.840 only had two bottles of water and a bag of 156 00:08:35.840 --> 00:08:38.240 strawberries with him, and when he didn't return at the 157 00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:44.600 designated time, he was immediately reported dismissing with no headlamp, maps, compass, GPS, 158 00:08:44.720 --> 00:08:47.159 or phone, and wherever he was he was in an 159 00:08:47.159 --> 00:08:51.759 obviously dangerous situation. On September sixth, the search for Carlos 160 00:08:51.799 --> 00:08:55.399 began and included numerous aerial, helicopter and drone searches, along 161 00:08:55.440 --> 00:08:58.679 with field teams from across several nearby counties who began 162 00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:02.559 to search the area's canyon trails, peaks, etc. There were 163 00:09:02.600 --> 00:09:05.879 five members of the RMRU who went by helicopter to 164 00:09:06.000 --> 00:09:08.799 the areas where they were assigned to formally conduct their searches. 165 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:12.639 Three of them, men named Stephen Richard and Vinet, went 166 00:09:12.679 --> 00:09:14.960 and searched along the trails between Big Horn and Ice 167 00:09:15.000 --> 00:09:17.559 Horn saddles and made their way up to Timber Mountain. 168 00:09:18.039 --> 00:09:21.360 The other team consisted of the other RMRU announce the 169 00:09:21.480 --> 00:09:25.120 Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit members named Tobias and James, who 170 00:09:25.120 --> 00:09:27.960 were deployed to search the treacherous and very steep slopes 171 00:09:27.960 --> 00:09:30.919 beneath the peak itself where Carlos was last known to 172 00:09:30.919 --> 00:09:34.200 have been seen. Both teams reconvened and hiked out down 173 00:09:34.279 --> 00:09:37.960 Ice House Canyon together. They went to their motorized extraction 174 00:09:38.039 --> 00:09:40.759 point that the trail head afterward, but never found any 175 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:43.759 clues or evidence as to what became of Carlos Garcia 176 00:09:43.960 --> 00:09:47.480 on that particular day, and all their efforts proved fruitless. 177 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:52.559 The next day, on September seventh, the RMRU was requested 178 00:09:52.600 --> 00:09:56.039 once again to respond to the OEES call out. Steve Ryder, 179 00:09:56.279 --> 00:09:59.360 Matt Franken, and Blake Douglas were deployed and assigned two 180 00:09:59.399 --> 00:10:03.080 areas adjacent to each other on the northwest face of 181 00:10:03.159 --> 00:10:05.399 Eddie Wan de Pete, which is described as a long, 182 00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:09.960 tallis slope with many unknown obstacles. The men were informed 183 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:12.080 that another team had covered the for half of one 184 00:10:12.080 --> 00:10:14.759 of the search areas, but were unable to proceed because 185 00:10:14.799 --> 00:10:17.919 they liked some of the necessary equipment like rope, and 186 00:10:17.960 --> 00:10:20.320 some of the three men dispatched afterwards made sure they 187 00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:24.320 had the proper equipment. Despite a lengthy and artists search effort, 188 00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:27.080 there was nothing found that would indicate Carlos had been 189 00:10:27.120 --> 00:10:29.840 anywhere in the area. It was as though he had 190 00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:34.159 disappeared into the ether, like so many others before the 191 00:10:34.320 --> 00:10:37.480 RMRIU that offered tips to hikers, and in their own 192 00:10:37.480 --> 00:10:40.679 reports documenting their work and search efforts, they mentioned a 193 00:10:40.720 --> 00:10:43.200 few things that should be noted considering the subject matter 194 00:10:43.240 --> 00:10:48.279 of this video. Also on April sixth, twenty nineteen, thirty 195 00:10:48.279 --> 00:10:51.399 three year old Eric Discipliner of Gino Hills, California and 196 00:10:51.480 --> 00:10:54.840 thirty one year old Gabriel Wallace of Rancho Cucamonga went 197 00:10:54.960 --> 00:10:57.759

missing on Mount Baldy while out together for a day hike. 198 00:10:58.600 --> 00:11:00.320 They were with a group of co work is when 199 00:11:00.360 --> 00:11:04.039 they somehow got turned around and lost by themselves. When 200 00:11:04.039 --> 00:11:07.120 they didn't return as expected at seven pm, they were 201 00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:10.519 quickly reported dismissing an hour later by those same co workers. 202 00:11:11.200 --> 00:11:14.120 An extensive search and rescue mission was undertaken to locate 203 00:11:14.159 --> 00:11:16.840 the pair, and a vast area was covered that consisted 204 00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:19.879 of nineteen thousand acres that was very steep and covered 205 00:11:19.919 --> 00:11:23.320 in several inches of snow. Eric and Gabriel were found 206 00:11:23.320 --> 00:11:26.120 alive after five days on the mountain, and their story 207 00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:29.600 is quite miraculous. Indeed, a helicopter had to use a 208 00:11:29.639 --> 00:11:31.759 hoist rescue to lift them off and out of the mountain. 209 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:35.440 After a search team in Cucamonga Canyon located two sets 210 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:39.399 of footprints and then notified the helicopter unit. The unit 211 00:11:39.480 --> 00:11:44.320 then spotted Eric and Gabriel's campfire. Official stated quote. The 212 00:11:44.360 --> 00:11:47.320 search team alerted the command post and provided coordinates for 213 00:11:47.399 --> 00:11:50.840 the Sheriff's helicopter forty King to fly over the area. 214 00:11:51.720 --> 00:11:54.879 The aviation crew spotted a campfire and could see two 215 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:59.080 subjects and believed they were the two missing hikers. End quote. 216 00:11:59.240 --> 00:12:01.480 The two were flown to the Mount Baldy fire station 217 00:12:01.879 --> 00:12:06.360 and reunited with their families. Eric discplinter said of their ordeal, quote, 218 00:12:06.480 --> 00:12:08.600 we just lost the trail. I had a little bit 219 00:12:08.600 --> 00:12:11.039 of a slip on going to the peak of Cocamonga. 220 00:12:11.200 --> 00:12:13.679 We decided we wouldn't go back up the ice in snow, 221 00:12:14.159 --> 00:12:18.320 but that valley was more treacherous than we thought. End quote. 222 00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:20.840 When asked how they managed to survive in the harsh 223 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:23.960 weather and snowy conditions, he explained that they rationed their 224 00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:27.759 food and drank water through a life straw. A life 225 00:12:27.799 --> 00:12:30.679 straw is a straw that purifies drinking water as you 226 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:33.799 sip it, and is available at most outdoor outfitters and 227 00:12:33.879 --> 00:12:39.200 camping supply stores. The San Bernardino Sheriff's Department posted on 228 00:12:39.240 --> 00:12:42.559 Facebook thed saar teams have responded to no less than 229 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:45.919 fourteen rescue missions on Mount Baldy in the four weeks

230 00:12:45.960 --> 00:12:50.200 preceding Julian Sand's disappearance alone. They went on to say 231 00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:54.480 that the searchers were for lost, stranded, and or injured hikers. 232 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:59.320 Two of those ended in fatalities. The Sheriff's office statement 233 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:02.080 went on to see the recent storms that brought to 234 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:05.320 snow and ice conditions are not favorable for hikers, even 235 00:13:05.320 --> 00:13:07.679 those that feel they have a high level of experience. 236 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:11.279 In an interview with The Yorkshire Post in twenty thirteen, 237 00:13:11.879 --> 00:13:15.559 Julian Sands was quoted as saying, quote, mountain climbing and 238 00:13:15.639 --> 00:13:20.320 filmmaking are very connected. There's always another mountain and ultimately 239 00:13:20.440 --> 00:13:22.919 the point of climbing a mountain is that the mountain 240 00:13:23.000 --> 00:13:26.480 is within and I think that's true too of the 241 00:13:26.519 --> 00:13:31.039 acting experience end quote. Throughout the years, there have been 242 00:13:31.080 --> 00:13:34.440 so many people who have disappeared under strange circumstances throughout 243 00:13:34.519 --> 00:13:37.759 hiking trails and along mountain ranges all over the world, 244 00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:40.519 and many of them we cover right here on this channel. 245 00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:44.399 Mount Baldy is no exception. While most of the time 246 00:13:44.440 --> 00:13:47.360 it seems there could be something else underlying the disappearances 247 00:13:47.399 --> 00:13:50.200 and deaths we see so often, at other times it's 248 00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:53.679 simply Mother Nature herself that leads people from all walks 249 00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:57.399 of life to their eventual demise, whether exploring some trails 250 00:13:57.440 --> 00:13:59.919 in the mountains of your local community or vy case, 251 00:14:00.200 --> 00:14:03.360 somewhere deep in the wilderness. Please always remember to take 252 00:14:03.399 --> 00:14:06.600 safety seriously. It doesn't matter who you are or where 253 00:14:06.600 --> 00:14:11.080 you're from. No one is immune to disaster. Sometimes, no 254 00:14:11.120 --> 00:14:14.240 matter how careful you are, mistakes can be made, and 255 00:14:14.279 --> 00:14:17.080 no matter how experienced you are, you could still end 256 00:14:17.159 --> 00:14:19.759 up in a desperate situation where your life is at stake. 257 00:14:20.679 --> 00:14:23.559 We truly hope for a happy outcome for not only 258 00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:26.559 the friends and loved ones of Julian Sands, but for 259 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:29.799 each and every other individual across the world was missing 260 00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:34.039 and waiting to be found. Additionally, with late summer being 261 00:14:34.080 --> 00:14:37.919 described as an attractive season for recreational hikers who don't 262 00:14:37.960 --> 00:14:40.240 necessarily hike enough to know what to do in case 263 00:14:40.240 --> 00:14:44.360 of emergencies. The RMRU thought it prudent to issue these 264 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:47.279 words of wisdom for anyone considering heading out there in 265 00:14:47.279 --> 00:14:50.519 those particular mountains at this time of year. The following 266 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:53.320 advice was written for the rangers and say are themselves, 267 00:14:53.840 --> 00:14:56.120 but more than likely we could all benefit from at 268 00:14:56.200 --> 00:15:00.919 least some of these tips. Number one, never leave anyone behind, 269 00:15:01.240 --> 00:15:04.080 especially if they are struggling in some way, showing signs 270 00:15:04.080 --> 00:15:07.960 of exhaustion, or seem disoriented. These are common reasons for 271 00:15:08.039 --> 00:15:11.039 one person to decide to wait behind or otherwise separate 272 00:15:11.080 --> 00:15:14.039 from the group. Leaving anyone behind should only be done 273 00:15:14.120 --> 00:15:18.000 under certain circumstances, when absolutely necessary or in cases of 274 00:15:18.039 --> 00:15:22.480 extreme emergency. Number two, each individual should always have with 275 00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:26.159 them a designated light source, abundant food and water, and 276 00:15:26.200 --> 00:15:30.080 their cell phone. Number three. Spend at least one day 277 00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:32.639 ahead of when you intend embark on your hike in 278 00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:36.200 order to review maps and alternate trails near your intended destination. 279 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:39.240 Make sure you know all of your options and where 280 00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:43.080 they are located. Number four, make sure the route you 281 00:15:43.279 --> 00:15:46.320 chose is appropriate. To your skill and fitness level, and 282 00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:50.720 always discussed first all of your plans, including alternates with 283 00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:53.639 hiking partners and family, and what should be done in 284 00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:56.600 case of an emergency or if a separation should occur. 285 00:15:57.360 --> 00:15:59.279 We hope that by bringing you these tips we can 286 00:15:59.320 --> 00:16:02.120 avoid so many people going missing and disappearing into mother 287 00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:05.759 Nature in the future. Well, friends, there you have it. 288 00:16:06.519 --> 00:16:09.600 What do you think about these disappearances? What's your opinion 289 00:16:09.639 --> 00:16:13.279 on the Julian Sands case. I look forward to your comments, 290 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:17.600 but as always, please keep it friendly and respectful. Until 291 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:20.279 we meet again. Take care of yourselves and each other. 292 00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:23.679 Stay safe out there. As for me, I'll see you 293 00:16:23.679 --> 00:16:26.799 a little further on down the trail. I'm Steve Stockton 294 00:16:27.159 --> 00:16:29.919 and I'll talk to you next time. Hug your animals 295 00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:31.960 for me and tell them Steve says Hi