Female hiker dies after falling 700ft in California as final video shows her walking in the dark
>
A 56-year-old California woman fell to her death while trying to climb one of the most popular mountain trails in the Los Angeles area — the second person to die on the trail in two weeks.
Crystal Paula González, a mother of four described as ‘the queen of dancing hiking’, filmed her final video on Sunday for Facebook, where she often updated her friends on her adventures.
In the pre-dawn darkness, with a lantern on his head, he said, ‘It’s time to go! Lots of people out today.
Ice could be heard crunching underfoot, and González slipped shortly thereafter, falling 700 feet down Baldy Bowl.
Crystal Paula Gonzalez, 56, filmed her last video for Facebook at Mount Baldy, shortly before she fell to her death.
Gonzalez, a mother of four from Covina, was passionate about hiking, mountain biking and being outdoors.
The San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department said it received a call from the California Office of Emergency Services, which was alerted via a Garmin emergency device.
A helicopter was dispatched immediately and soon found Gonzalez “on a steep, icy hillside, surrounded by numerous hikers who were helpful in any way they could,” according to the incident report.
The doctor on board the helicopter requested the Sheriff’s Air Rescue Service, but González died of her injuries before she could be removed from the scene.
Four days before he fell to his death, he posted a video of the treacherous conditions.
This thing is dangerous!!!!!! Hikers beware…’ she wrote, with the hashtags: #MountainLessons #Learning #DangerousTerrain #Bowltrail #Mountbaldy.
Gonzalez frequently shared photos of herself in extreme terrain, hiking and exploring.
The mother of four was remembered “for her intrepid walks and her daily dose of inspiration.”
He also posted a video of snowboarders, captioned: “Unfortunately I had to turn around, safety first.”
On January 3, he wrote: ‘I don’t know where I’m going, I just know that I’m living a great story…’
On a GoFundMe page created by her family, González was remembered “for her fearless hikes and daily dose of inspiration.”
Her daughter, Jasmine Rosado, wrote: “More importantly, she was an amazing mother of four children, a sister, and a friend to everyone she knew.
‘She is the personification of strength, love and beauty.
“She was a beacon of light to all who knew her and was always ready to help.”
On her Hiker 4 Life Instagram page, Gonzalez described herself as: ‘At 56 years old, I walk, jog, run and MOUNTAIN bike, love the outdoors and have 4 amazing kids! LIVE, LOVE AND ENJOY LIFE!!!’
González shared inspirational quotes, including this one about walking in the dark.
Gonzalez, of Covina, is the second person to die on the mountain in two weeks.
On December 28, Jarret Choi, 43, of Los Angeles, was hiking the Ice House Canyon Trail when he fell near the Ice House Saddle ridge line.
He was found two days later, after a search was hampered by extreme weather conditions.
On December 17, four people had to be rescued by helicopter from the mountain after icy conditions made movement impossible.
Officials stress that hikers should wear appropriate clothing for cold weather and have proper gear for snow and ice.