Third hiker in 1 month to fall to his death in Mount Baldy

MOUNT BALDY, Calif. (KABC) -- A 45-year-old hiker is dead after falling down a mountainside in Mount Baldy on Saturday.

According to the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department, the San Diego man slipped from the Devil's Backbone trail. San Bernardino Sheriff's Aviation crews found the unidentified hiker 1,000 feet below.

He was transported to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said.

Sheriff's officials were investigating the incident.

The victim's name was not released, pending next of kin.

Mount Baldy trails were temporarily closed Feb. 8 after two previous deaths in less than one week.

Dong Xing (Tony) Liu, 47, of Temple City, was hiking with his wife in the Icehouse Saddle area Saturday afternoon when they both slipped and fell 120 feet down a slope, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. Liu was pronounced dead at the scene, and his wife suffered major injuries to her leg and hip.

Just days before, 23-year-old Daniel Nguyen fell 1,500 feet to his death while hiking the Devil's Backbone trail in Mount Baldy.