Identities of all three hikers who died on Mt. Baldy revealed

"On , one hiker was identified as 19-year-old Marcus Muench Casanova of Seal Beach, who authorities say fell about 500 feet on Monday while hiking Devil's Backbone, a sharp ridge with steep drops on both sides. Investigators say Casanova was not hiking with the pair; however, rescue efforts launched Monday morning for the teen led the helicopter crew to the other two hikers on the mountainside."

""This heartbreaking incident is yet another reminder of the extreme dangers posed by the mountain during winter weather and the urgent need for stronger preventative measures," San Bernardino County Supervisor Dawn Rowe said in a . The incident has renewed calls from elected officials for the U.S. Forest Service to close its trails during hazardous conditions, especially as Mt. Baldy is considered to be one of the nation's deadliest peaks, even for experienced mountaineers."

All three hikers found dead on Mt. Baldy after a winter snowstorm have been identified as Juan Sarat Lopez, 37; Bayron Pedro Ramos Garcia, 36; and 19-year-old Marcus Muench Casanova. Casanova fell about 500 feet while hiking Devil's Backbone, a sharp ridge with steep drops on both sides, and was not hiking with the other two. Rescue efforts for Casanova led a helicopter crew to the other two hikers; high winds limited operations and a medic later confirmed all three deaths. Bodies were recovered the following afternoon. Officials called for stronger preventive measures and urged trail closures during hazardous winter conditions. Mt. Baldy reaches 10,064 ft and becomes extremely treacherous in winter, with more than 100 rescues since 2020. Experienced hikers warn that Devil's Backbone can become a giant ice cliff that can easily prove fatal for the inexperienced.

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