Actor Julian Sands disappeared while hiking Mount Baldy on Jan. 13, 2023. After eight searches and about 500 hours of effort, hikers found his remains in Goode Canyon on June 24; officials confirmed his death on June 27. The coroner ruled the cause of death “undetermined” because of the condition of the remains, and investigators say a fall, avalanche, injury, or getting lost remain possible explanations. Sands, 65, is survived by three children and was remembered as an adventurous climber.
Julian Sands Found Months After Disappearing on Mount Baldy: What We Know
Jon Kopaloff/WireImage
Actor Julian Sands was reported missing on Jan. 13, 2023, after setting out on a solo hike on Mount Baldy in Southern California. After an extensive multi-month search, hikers discovered his remains in Goode Canyon on June 24, 2023; authorities publicly confirmed his death on June 27, 2023.
Charley Gallay/WireImageJulian Sands attends the re-opening of the Ferus Gallery on May 21, 2010 in Los Angeles, California.
Timeline of Events
On Jan. 13, 2023, Sands’ wife, Evgenia Citkowitz, reported him missing when he did not return from a hike on Mount Baldy, a favorite local spot the actor frequented while living in Los Angeles. Search-and-rescue teams and volunteers conducted multiple searches during the following months.
Adam Orchon/Sipa via APJulian Sands attends The Great British Film Reception on February 20th, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.
Search Efforts and Conditions
Authorities mounted eight distinct searches by air and on the ground, logging roughly 500 hours of manpower and spending about $100,000 in resources. Harsh winter weather — including high winds, icy snow, and avalanche risk — repeatedly hampered operations. A coordinated final search on June 17 involved more than 80 search-and-rescue volunteers, two helicopters and drone crews.
AP Photo/Nick UtThe snow-capped San Gabriel Mountains, with Mount Baldy the highest peak at the left, as seen from Chinatown near downtown Los Angeles.
Discovery
On June 24, 2023, a group of hikers led by Bill Dwyer found personal items — boots, trekking poles, a pile of clothing and a wallet containing a driver’s license — and then located Sands’ remains in a relatively flat section of Goode Canyon. Members of earlier search teams had recorded a cellphone ping from a nearby ridge; one searcher suggested that if teams had continued roughly 600 feet farther down the slope they might have reached the location sooner.
Arthur Mola/Invision/APJulian Sands at the Venice Film Festival on September 3, 2019 in Venice, Italy.
Cause of Death
The San Bernardino County coroner ultimately classified the cause of death as “undetermined” due to the deteriorated condition of the remains following the long interval between disappearance and recovery. Investigators have said several scenarios remain possible, including a fall, an avalanche, injury or disorientation that caused him to become lost; no definitive manner of death was established publicly.
zz/GPTCW/STAR MAX/IPxJulian Sands attends The Great British Film Reception on February 20th, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.
Remembrance
Sands, 65, was a British actor known for films including A Room With a View, Warlock and Arachnophobia. He is survived by three children: son Henry (with ex-wife Sarah Sands) and daughters Natalya and Imogen (with wife Evgenia Citkowitz). The family kept funeral arrangements private but issued a public message thanking search teams for their efforts.
"We are deeply grateful to the search teams and coordinators who have worked tirelessly to find Julian," the family wrote via the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department account.
Friends and associates remembered him as an adventurous climber and a restless, curious spirit. His manager said the family took some consolation that he died in a place he loved, doing an activity he enjoyed.
All dates and details in this article are based on public statements and reporting from local authorities and news organizations.
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