75-Year-Old Hiker Dies After Falling About 100 Ft. Over 'Extremely Steep' Cliff on Mount Baldy

Actor Julian Sands disappeared on the same mountain in January 2023 and was declared dead five months later

• Raymond Kopecky, 75, was found dead after hiking the Sugarloaf Peak trail on Mount Baldy on Sunday

• The hiker died while hiking the same mountain where actor Julian Sands disappeared in January 2023

• The area where Kopecky was found is considered a dangerous area for hikers, according to one rescuer
  

A 75-year-old man has died after falling over a cliff while hiking a well-known mountain in California, authorities said.

Raymond Kopecky was hiking along the Sugarloaf Peak trail on Mount Baldy when he fell on Sunday, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.

The West Valley Search and Rescue said its team responded to the scene that same night after the hiker was reported overdue.

Kopecky's body was eventually located in a canyon below Sugarloaf Peak, according to CBS affiliate KCAL-TV.

Related: 4 College Students Rescued from Kentucky Gorge amid Snowstorm: 'Potentially Life or Death Situation'

The hiker appeared to have died from the injuries he sustained from the fall, WVSAR said, noting that the cliff was “extremely steep.”

Kopecky is believed to have fallen around 100 feet, sheriff's officials told the San Bernardino Sun.

The WVSAR team “was forced to camp overnight” until the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department’s aviation team could hoist them out. Crews protected the body while camping out, per the reports.

Eric Vetere, commander of the WVSAR Team, said the area where Kopecky was hiking Sunday can be dangerous, according to KCAL-TV.

Related: Arizona Woman, 59, Falls to Her Death While Hiking and Taking Photos at Grand Canyon

“It's not your normal hiking area,” he told the station. “It does require some extra skills and expertise that many folks don't have when they get up here.”

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WVSAR is reminding hikers “to travel with friends and wear appropriate gear for their conditions” following Kopecky’s death.

Related: Woman Dies After 100-Foot Fall Inside Cave

Kopecky died on the same mountain where a woman was trapped in her car for four days earlier this month after going over a steep cliff. It was also where actor Julian Sands disappeared while hiking last January. He was declared dead five months later after his remains were found by recreational hikers in the area. 

In July 2023, Sands' death was ruled “undetermined,” which a public information officer for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said is a “common” ruling in such cases.

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