The body of a 22-year-old hiker has been recovered from the mountains in southern California following an intense week-long search in challenging winter conditions, authorities said on Sunday.
Lifei Huang disappeared on 4 February after going hiking alone in the Mount Baldy area of the San Gabriel mountains, just as an atmospheric river was set to drench the region. The historic storm covered the mountains in snow and the harrowing weather and avalanche risks hindered search efforts.
On Sunday morning, a helicopter crew recovered Huang’s body from the upper San Antonio Creek Falls area of the mountain, the San Bernardino county sheriff’s department said in a statement. Her body was first spotted by a drone operator on Saturday afternoon, but conditions prevented searchers from immediately accessing the area via ground or air.
Search and rescue crews camped nearby overnight to preserve the scene, the sheriff’s office said. Medics found her remains the following morning.
Authorities have not yet released Huang’s cause of death.
The sheriff’s office has advised the public to stay out of the mountains during inclement weather.
“The weather has effectively buried the mountain in snow, and it is highly likely hikers will get into trouble,” the department said. “Resources are stretched to their limits, and hikers who get lost may have to wait long periods of time before help is available.”
About 40 miles north-east of downtown Los Angeles, Mount Baldy, which rises to more than 10,000ft, is a popular spot for hiking. But the area can be dangerous, particularly in winter conditions, and has been described as one of the deadliest peaks in the US.
The British actor Julian Sands, an experienced mountain climber, was found dead on the mountain last year, months after he disappeared. Sands was among 15 hikers who were hurt or lost on Mount Baldy in January 2023 alone – at least two others died that same month.
On 4 February, the same day Huang disappeared, a group of three hikers ran into trouble while attempting to scale the mountain. They were unable to find the trail due to “significant snowfall” and required rescue, the Sierra Madre search and rescue team said in a statement. The hikers, who were “well-equipped with appropriate gear for conditions”, had to stay overnight before they could be assisted the following morning.
Huang, a resident of the Los Angeles county city of El Monte, was described by her friends as an adventurous solo hiker. She had texted a group of friends that Sunday to let them know of her plans for the day, and sent her boyfriend a video of the area as she began her hike. She was last heard from at about 4pm.