(IntegrityTimes.com) – Mount San Antonio, which is more commonly referred to as Mount Baldy, is a 10,064-foot-high summit in the San Gabriel Mountains located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California. They are popular year-round for adventurous outdoor excursions, although there are many natural dangers, particularly in the winter. While some are excited by the challenge of snow climbing, avalanches, rock falls, and treacherous weather conditions can prove fatal.
Wednesday, January 3, an unnamed woman was driving her Ford Ranger in the area when she swerved to avoid a deer and went careening off the road, falling at least 100 feet. She remained there, trapped in her truck for almost 5 days. She had no cell phone coverage. Los Angeles County Fire Department Captain Ian Thrall commented that it had been rainy, and the temperatures were in the 30s (Fahrenheit) at night.
The vehicle was spotted by a passing hiker, who managed to flag down firefighters who were responding to an unrelated call. Captain Thrall pointed out that many such accidents are fatal and that the harsh weather conditions made survival even more unlikely. He also mentioned that there were no visible tire tracks or other signs of an accident that could have alerted people that someone had gone off the road. He said she was very lucky that someone just happened to come by and hear her.
The woman was taken to the hospital but has not been able to make a statement yet. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Robert Dondanville says that she could be suffering from hypothermia, malnutrition, dehydration, and a possible leg injury. According to the San Bernardino County sheriff’s department rescue operations have been undertaken more than 100 times for missing people on Mount Baldy, with six confirmed deaths since 2020, including the English actor Julian Sands, who disappeared in January 2022 only to be found dead in that area in June that same year.
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