Man falls to his death on popular Pasadena hiking trail

A man in his 20s slipped and fell about 35 feet to his death from a trail in Eaton Canyon Park in the Pasadena foothills.

Erwin Molina was hiking a popular waterfall trail with three companions around 6:30 p.m. Sunday when he lost his footing and fell to the rocky canyon bottom, said Pasadena Fire Department spokeswoman Lisa Derderian.

He was taken to a hospital with critical injuries and died a short time later, she said.

An L.A. County coroner's official said Molina's age and residence had not been confirmed.

It was the first fatality this year at the heavily used trail, Derderian said.

Rescue personnel are frequently called to Eaton Canyon Park in summer to treat broken bones and twisted ankles, but fatalities are rare, she said.

The trail crosses several streams and leads to two waterfalls, one higher than the other.

Molina apparently fell near the first waterfall, a 1.5 mile-hike from the trailhead, she said.

The hike is not difficult, but it turns rocky and unstable at points, she said. Hikers often are unprepared for the challenge.

"It's a narrow canyon with beautiful scenery,'' she said. "But the terrain can be tricky."

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-- Catherine Saillant