Rescuers on Mount Baldy.Photo:West Valley Search and Rescue
West Valley Search and Rescue
A 75-year-old man has died after falling over a cliff while hiking a well-known mountain in California, authorities said.
TheWest Valley Search and Rescuesaid its team responded to the scene that same night after the hiker was reported overdue.
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 theSan 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.
Crews camp out while waiting for San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s aviation team.West Valley Search and Rescue
“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.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
WVSAR is reminding hikers “to travel with friends and wear appropriate gear for their conditions” following Kopecky’s death.
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.
source: people.com
