It was "surreal" for a group of hikers who stumbled upon British actor Julian Sands' shoes, bones, and driver's license on Mt. Baldy in Los Angeles, on June 24, six months after the actor went missing.
'It was surreal,' said hiker Bill Dwyer talking with the Los Angeles Times. Dwyer and his crew hiked more than 10 miles on the day they found Sands' remains.
According to the Daily Mail, Dwyer and other group members avoided talking with the media and only spoke with the outlet in an effort to warn others about the dangers of winter hiking.
They say that it's important to always have a full safety kit and to not become too relaxed when hiking, even on familiar paths.
Upon discovering the remains, the group found one of Sands' boots had microspikes, which are metal cleats that can be attached to shoes for hiking.
The spikes are not meant for hikes where snow is heavy and the terrain is slippery and steep, Daily Mail said.
After Sands went missing, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department spent more than $100,000 and 500 hours searching for the actor.
The inclement weather made search and rescue missions difficult as storms and snow mad the terrain rugged for even the most skilled hikers.
Since 2020, seven people have been confirmed dead and there have been more than 100 searches at Mt. Baldy for missing hikers, Daily Mail added.
The Southern California range is one of the deadliest in the United States.
It remains unclear how exactly Sands died and when.
In late July, Sands' cause of death was ruled 'undetermined' due to the condition of his remains.
The 'undetermined' manner of death is common when dealing with cases of this type, a spokesperson with the sheriff’s department told People.