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Search crews try using cellphone data to locate missing actor Julian Sands on Mt. Baldy

A rocky trail ascends a barren mountain ridge with patches of snow
An undated photo of a hiking trail on Mount Baldy. Search crews have tried using cellphone data to locate missing actor Julian Sands.
(Mary Forgione / Los Angeles Times)
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As the search continues for British actor Julian Sands, officials have looked at cellphone data to try to piece together Sands’ movements since he went missing in Southern California’s San Gabriel Mountains.

Cellphone pings from Sands’ iPhone on Jan. 15 showed that Sands, 65, was in the Mt. Baldy area, according to a report from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s office. A delayed signal from Jan. 14 placed Sands on one of the trails leading to the summit, the Sheriff’s Department said.

Ground and aerial search-and-rescue crews checked the area but didn’t find evidence of Sands’ positions, officials said.

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Mt. Baldy is considered one of the most dangerous peaks to climb in the United States. In recent years, its icy terrain has led to the deaths of several experienced hikers.

Sands’ service provider was unable to retrieve additional location information, probably because of limited service and low or dead battery, officials said.

Search-and-rescue teams have been looking for Sands since he was reported missing on Jan. 13 in the Mt. Baldy area, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

Ground crews were pulled off the mountain on Saturday evening because of avalanche risks and dangerous trail conditions. The search has continued, however, using helicopters and drones, and ground searches will resume when weather and safety conditions improve.

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