A hike on the Mt. Wilson Trail in Sierra Madre turned deadly on Saturday when a man fell and later died, authorities said. The early afternoon incident sent rescue crews into the canyon and temporarily shut down one of the San Gabriel Valley's most popular routes.
According to CBS Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County Fire Department received a report around 1:52 p.m. that a male hiker had fallen into a ravine. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department later confirmed the hiker's death, and the Sierra Madre Police Department told CBS Los Angeles that the Mt. Wilson Trail would be closed until further notice while investigators processed the scene.
Trail history and conditions
The Mt. Wilson Trail starts in Sierra Madre and climbs roughly six miles one way to the summit of Mount Wilson, cutting across steep, exposed slopes, according to U.S. Forest Service information. The route was only recently reopened to the public after damage from the Eaton Fire and related erosion, the Los Angeles Times reported.
What hikers should know
Trail managers and local officials regularly warn that conditions can shift quickly after wildfires and storms, and that trail closures may stay in place for extended repair work. The City of Sierra Madre's hiking guide advises would-be visitors to confirm current conditions with the Sierra Madre Police Department or the Angeles National Forest before heading out, according to the City of Sierra Madre.
Authorities had not released the hiker's identity as of Saturday evening, and the cause of the fall was still under investigation, CBS Los Angeles reported. Officials asked anyone with information about the incident to contact local law enforcement.
