Search for 22-year-old woman missing after solo hike in midst of storm on Mt. Baldy continues

The days-long search for a 22-year-old woman who is now missing after going on a solo hike on Mt. Baldy in the midst of a powerful storm continued on Wednesday. 

The woman, identified as El Monte resident Lifei Huang, was last heard from Sunday afternoon at around 4 p.m. after leaving for a hike a couple of hours earlier. 

Deputies were alerted that Huang was still missing at around 11:15 p.m. that evening, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. 

Search and rescue crews set out shortly after at around 2:30 a.m. to begin their search, but were unable to locate Huang. The search continued on Tuesday, despite "extremely heavy snowfall" in the area, deputies said. 

"Avalanche risks hindered the search efforts, and the crews were pulled off the mountain," the statement said. 

Wednesday's search efforts were also called off due to avalanche activity in the area, but volunteers were posted at trailheads in the event that conditions lessened. 

"I think she got lost when she hiking alone," said Huang's sister, Ally Zhang. "Yesterday we went to like two very deep locations. ... We didn't find anything."

Zhang says that her sister usually has everything prepared when she goes for hikes. 

Deputies urged people to refrain from mountain activities due to the severe weather, which has "effectively buried the mountain in snow." 

Three other experienced hikers were rescued on Monday by members of the San Dimas and Sierra Madre Search and Rescue teams after they got lost along the Bear Canyon Trail in the Mt. Baldy area. 

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Fontana Sheriff's Station at (909) 356-6767.