Full Notification

DATE/TIME: Monday, August 7, 2017 / 0009 Hours

INCIDENT: Search and Rescue

LOCATION: Mount Baldy

INVOLVED PARTIES: Torin Halsted, 20 year old resident of Davis, Trevor Halsted, 24 year old resident of Davis, Kevin Bujold, 25 year old resident of Ventura, and Barry Weickert, 21 year old resident of San Jose.

SUMMARY: In the early morning hours of Sunday, August 7, 2017 a group of 4 friends embarked on a weekend of hiking. They planned to hike Mount San Jacinto, Mount Baldy, and San Gorgonio within a 24 hour time frame. They hiked San Jacinto then drove to Mount Baldy for the second hike.

They arrived in the Mount Baldy area at approximately 8 p.m. and parked their vehicle at Manker Flats. As they began their ascent up the Ski Hut trail, they mistakenly left the trail and hiked up the very steep and rocky slope of Baldy Bowl, where they became stranded.

At approximately 11:30 p.m., they realized they were no longer on the trail and they could not safely continue their hike to the summit or hike back down. They were able to place a call to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department to request help. Deputies from the Fontana station and Aviation Division responded to the call.

Deputies were able to obtain a GPS location of the hikers. The Aviation’s patrol helicopter and its crew flew over the area and confirmed the hiker’s location. However, they were unable to perform a hoist operation at that time because of high winds. The West Valley Search and Rescue Team was contacted and responded to the call.

The Search and Rescue team found the hikers on the extremely steep rocky face of the Baldy Bowl. The Search and Rescue team was able to secure the hikers from falling down the slope and waited with them until the Sheriff’s Rescue helicopter was able to assist with the rescue.

The Rescue helicopter and its crew were able to successfully complete a hoist of the hikers and fly them to a nearby landing zone. The hikers were medically evaluated and given food and water prior to transporting them back to their vehicle.

The West Valley Search & Rescue team and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department would like to remind all hikers to have the appropriate clothing, food, water, gear and the 10 essentials when hiking in the wilderness.


Refer: Deputy J. Thorp

Station: Fontana

Phone No. 909-356-6767

Case No. 031702225

JOHN McMAHON, Sheriff-Coroner
San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department