DEC 2025 Baldy Rescues

[Taco]

https://foxla.com/news/crews-searching- ... s-mt-baldy

Does anyone have any additional information?

[Chungus]

I texted one of the Ellingson's to see if they heard anything at the lodge.

[Matthew]

dang, I saw the closure by the FS and had no idea why but assumed it was weather related. That's so tragic

[HikeUp]

based only on sketchy local news, the three bodies were found in the same area. the one 19 year old was specifically reported as falling from the devil's backbone trail...

which makes me think of the one short stretch of "u-shaped" trail above the very steep ravine just before you get to the ridge leading up to Harwood. Just east of pt. 9009 on the topos. you slip off of that and there's no stopping for a while.

pure speculation, but that's what comes to mind. i find that short stretch of trail to be pretty intimidating even during summer.

[Sewellymon]

"which makes me think of the one short stretch of "u-shaped" trail above the very steep ravine just before you get to the ridge leading up to Harwood"

it's almost always that section. uber dicey if not prepared and skilled.

once in my yooth.. camped just below it in a raging, prolong snowstorm just for the experience... turned around right there. deep unconsolidated snow, exposure, limited visibility...

[fortunefivehundred]

On our way down Baldy Bowl Trail after hearing CHP(?)’s PA to come down, my friends and I watched SAR rappel down from the Sheriff’s helicopter and lift up two body bags one by one. Weather was getting shifty right above the helicopter (as seen in photos below) so they were moving fast, probably <15 min for the whole retrieval. They actually started moving the helicopter away before SAR and the second body had even been fully brought into the helicopter, for an idea on how narrow their window was given the weather/fog descending on them rapidly. Oddly, it cleared up to almost totally clear blue skies just 2-3 hours later (see last photo) before misting up again shortly.

This picture of the retrieval may help understand around where on the backbone the hikers slipped. A horrible tragedy. Rest in peace.

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[Anthony]

"which makes me think of the one short stretch of "u-shaped" trail above the very steep ravine just before you get to the ridge leading up to Harwood"

it's almost always that section. uber dicey if not prepared and skilled.

once in my yooth.. camped just below it in a raging, prolong snowstorm just for the experience... turned around right there. deep unconsolidated snow, exposure, limited visibility...

in some ways that section is sketchier than the backbone itself

[RH]

On our way down Baldy Bowl Trail after hearing CHP(?)’s PA to come down, my friends and I watched SAR rappel down from the Sheriff’s helicopter and lift up two body bags one by one. Weather was getting shifty right above the helicopter (as seen in photos below) so they were moving fast, probably <15 min for the whole retrieval. They actually started moving the helicopter away before SAR and the second body had even been fully brought into the helicopter, for an idea on how narrow their window was given the weather/fog descending on them rapidly. Oddly, it cleared up to almost totally clear blue skies just 2-3 hours later (see last photo) before misting up again shortly.

This picture of the retrieval may help understand around where on the backbone the hikers slipped. A horrible tragedy. Rest in peace.

I think this is where your helicopter is in the photo (see yellow X). That's Mt Harwood at top of frame and the redline coming diagonally down on the right is Register Ridge.

BaldyHeliRetrieve.jpg