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British actor and ‘A Room with a View’ star Julian Sands has been named as one of two hikers missing in California’s San Gabriel Mountains.
Sands, 65, was last seen in the Mount Baldy area Friday night and his family has heard from him ever since.
According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, “severe mountain weather has been difficult” and air resources are limited. ABC 7 reported.
Sands is known for his roles in several films, including the 1985 film ‘A Room with a View’, ‘Warlock’ and ‘Leaving Las Vegas’.
It is unclear why Sands was in the area and whether he had been walking alone or with someone else.
British actor and ‘A Room with a View’ star Julian Sands, 65, has been named as one of two hikers missing in California’s San Gabriel Mountains. He is pictured here in 2020
In a post on Instagram, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said winter weather on Mt Baldy can lead to “dangerous conditions” and has urged hikers to think twice before trespassing through the area.
Julian Sands, father of three children, has been married twice.
His first marriage, from 1984 to 1987, was to journalist Sarah Sands, who later edited publications including the Sunday Telegraph and London’s Evening Standard, and the influential BBC Radio 4 Today programme. The couple have one son, Henry.
The actor also has two daughters with journalist Evgenia Citkowitz, whom he married in 1990.
Meanwhile, a separate search for another hiker, Bob Gregory of Hawthorne, is underway in the Crystal Lake area of the range.
Gregory’s family told the outlet that he went missing on Monday and that they are “distraught” and “afraid that he has hurt himself and fallen.”
Her loved one added that police are in the process of tracing her cell phone, while search teams combed the area on the ground and from the air on Tuesday.
The aircrew’s efforts were limited Wednesday due to icy conditions at the firing range’s difficult terrain which is located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County.
In a post on Instagram, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said winter weather on Mt Baldy can lead to “dangerous conditions” and has urged hikers to think twice before trespassing through the area.
Over the past four weeks, department search and rescue teams have responded to 14 rescue missions in and around Mt Baldy.
The sheriff’s department said most rescue missions have been for “lost, stranded and/or injured hikers.”
Sands is known for his roles in several films, including the 1985 film ‘A Room with a View’, ‘Warlock’ and ‘Leaving Las Vegas’.
The treacherous conditions of the San Bernardino Mountains have meant that search and rescue efforts have been “hampered by severe weather” along with the likelihood of “dangerous avalanche conditions.”
“Unfortunately, over the last four weeks, two hikers did not survive after falling and injuring themselves,” they said.
‘Please note that current conditions on Mt Baldy are adverse and extremely dangerous.
“Due to the strong winds, the snow has turned to ice, making hiking extremely dangerous.”
The treacherous conditions mean search and rescue efforts have been “hampered by severe weather” and the likelihood of “dangerous avalanche conditions.”
“Recent storms that brought snow and ice conditions are not favorable for hikers, even those who feel they have a high level of experience,” officials said.
The Sheriff’s Department has pleaded with visitors to follow simple tips to stay safe.
These include: Following all posted warning signs, observing weather conditions (both current and forecast) for the area, making sure you have the proper equipment and training, and being properly prepared for alpine conditions (crampons, ice ax, proper clothing) , grab a walking buddy, bring a GPS or tracking device such as a SPOT device or INREACH device, make sure all cell phones are fully charged, and bring an extra charged power pack.
They have also told visitors to tell someone where and when they are going, what time they will return, and “most importantly” not to go if there is any question on the ground.