California woman missing after going hiking during atmospheric river storm

Search under way for Lifei Huang, who was reported missing on Sunday night after not returning from Mount Baldy area

Authorities in southern California are searching for a 22-year-old woman who was reported missing after going hiking alone on Sunday as an atmospheric river drenched the region.

Lifei Huang was reported missing around 11pm on Sunday night after not returning from the Mount Baldy area of the San Gabriel mountains, the San Bernardino county sheriff’s department said in a statement. She had set out around 2pm that day and was last heard from around 4pm.

The county’s search and rescue team began looking for Huang at about 2.30am on Monday, but were unable to locate her, the sheriff’s office said. The historic storm that hit southern California caused heavy snowfall in the mountains and crews had to suspend their search on Tuesday amid the intense weather and avalanche risks.

The teams would resume the search when it is safe to do so, the department said.

Mount Baldy is a popular spot for hiking but can be dangerous, particularly in winter conditions. The British actor Julian Sands, an experienced mountain climber, was found dead on the mountain last year, months after he disappeared. Sands was among 15 hikers who were hurt or lost on Mount Baldy in January 2023 alone – at leasttwo others died that same month.

The freezing rain and ice that come in winter significantly change the experience of hiking on Mount Baldy, and make it more dangerous to climb the peak.

This week’s intense storm left a trail of damage across the state and southern California was hit hard by the rainy weather. The region saw over 1ft of rain, 475 mudslides around Los Angeles and hundreds of downed trees. Officials have warned residents to avoid driving into mountainous areas where there is ongoing risk for rockslides and mudslides due to the wet weather.

The sheriff’s department said in a statement that it urges the public to “refrain from mountain activities during this inclement weather”.

“The weather has effectively buried the mountain in snow and it is highly likely hikers will get into trouble,” the department said. “Resources are stretched to their limits and hikers who get lost may have to wait long periods of time before help is available.”

Cherry Li, a friend of Huang, described her to KTLA as an adventurous solo hiker and said she texted a group of friends on Sunday to let them know of her plans for the day. She sent her boyfriend a video of the area as she began her hike and posted videos to social media before she disappeared, the outlet reported.

“We just want her to come back home safe,” Li said.

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