British actor Julian Sands reported missing while hiking north of Los Angeles
A search is ongoing for British actor Julian Sands, who has been missing since last week when he went hiking in a mountain area northeast of Los Angeles, authorities said Wednesday.
The 65-year-old Sands was reported missing on the night of Jan. 13 on Mount Baldy, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. Sands went missing in the Baldy Bowl area, the sheriff's department said, which includes a popular trail that leads to the Mount San Antonio summit.
Crews initially launched a search for Sands, but were forced to abandon it on Jan. 14 due to an avalanche risk and poor trail conditions, the sheriff's department said. No further details were provided.
Over the past several weeks, California has been hard-hit by a series of fatal storms – driven by atmospheric rivers – which have brought heavy rain and snow, causing mudslides, flooding and millions of dollars in damage statewide. The storms prompted President Biden to issue a disaster declaration over the weekend.
The sheriff's department said in a statement Wednesday it would "schedule another ground search" for Sands "when the weather improves."
It also warned hikers to "stay away" from the Mount Baldy area.
"It is extremely dangerous and even experienced hikers are getting in trouble," the sheriff's department said.
On Jan. 15, Crystal Paula Gonzalez, a mother of four, died after sliding more than 500 feet down Mount Baldy. She was described by friends and family as an experienced hiker, according to CBS Los Angeles.
Mount Baldy is located in the San Gabriel Mountains, about 50 miles northeast of downtown L.A. It borders both L.A. and San Bernardino counties.
Sands has dozens of film and television credits over a five-decade career. They include "A Room with a View," "Leaving Las Vegas," "The Killing Fields," "Oceans Thirteen" and "24."