Search for missing Mt. Baldy hiker continues into third day

  Search-and-rescue teams continued scouring the Angeles National Forest on Tuesday for a 49-year-old woman from Venice who went missing over the weekend after setting out to hike Mt. Baldy.

Michelle Yu signed the log book at the Sierra Hut trailhead about 8:30 a.m. Saturday and planned to hike to Baldy Peak and then walk to Baldy Notch, where she would take the ski lift back down the mountain, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

Her roommate reported her missing when she failed to return home the next day.

U.S. Forest Service officials found Yu’s vehicle near the intersection of Mt. Baldy and Falls roads.

Dozens of search-and-rescue volunteers from San Bernardino, Los Angeles and San Diego counties began at dawn Tuesday on the third day of searching for Yu, who was described as an experienced hiker.

Authorities said she was training for an upcoming competitive hike and frequently visited Mt. Baldy. Sheriff’s deputies believe she was dressed appropriately for the weather and had food and water.

Anyone with information about Yu and her whereabouts is asked to call the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department at (909) 387-8313.

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Rescue teams search for woman who vanished during Mt. Baldy hike

-- Tony Barboza

Comments

[Danny]

Nature is very unforgiving..... I don't care who you are.

[Hiker]

It CAN BE, but isn't always "unforgiving"...if she was going down Devil's Backbone in the weather we had I would suspect she fell on the steep side. Best wishes Yu.

[Mike Baker]

Never hike alone. And carry a canister of bear pepper spray. Works on all predators including man.

[Name]

RIP

[mikeohara]

Assuming she got started in the right direction down Backbone, she may have slipped off the steep side to the north. If so, she's at least badly injured. On top, in a snowstorm, it's very hard to find the proper trail down without a compass or GPS.

[mike]

keeping my fingers crossed for her. From the summit to the top of the lift, there are lots of places where a slip can send you tumbling hundreds/thousands of feet... hope she's alright.

[jmendoza]

Never hike alone. Lets hope this liberal activist is OK, but has learned her lesson. GPS is no substitute for common sense, and caution. If she wanted to do a good practice hike, then why not Palomar, or someplace with no snow and ice? Hiking in snow is something to be avoided, and it's never a good idea to go do mountain tops in the winter, more hiking fatalities occure this way than any other, so why tempt fate? There is no excuse for going it alone either. If you fall, and get knocked out, you can't use your cell phone to call for help, a buddy is your only safeguard. Let this be a lesson to all who contemplate snow hiking and solo hiking...this is what eventually will happen. Every year, without fail, somebody does not heed this and dies on Baldy. It's tragic, but completely avoidable, when will people learn?

[another hiker]

No matter how experienced one is, if you hike along, please carry a SPOT, or some other locating device. Do if for yourself, your loved ones and those sent to find you. Best wishes Yu.

[Cloudy McNoggin]

Come on Michelle. Hang in there. There's a lot of juice coming your way to see you come home safely.

I've hiked up there and it's some serious terrain. But she's an experienced hiker. She has a much stronger chance than a novice. The fact that she registered her hike shows she's got some smarts.

Make it happen Michelle.