- A man was running on Sunday, February 17, on a trail near Mount Wilson in California, when he slipped on ice and fell almost 200 feet down an embankment.
- A rescue attempt was made by multiple search and rescue teams from the Los Angeles County area, but the runner, 38-year-old Ernesto Alonzo Rodriguez, was pronounced dead at the scene.
A wintery trail run turned to tragedy on a trail near Mount Wilson in California on Sunday. A man, running with three other friends, slipped on ice, falling almost 200 feet down an embankment to his death.
The icy conditions on the steep trail, located northeast of Los Angeles, only exacerbated the level of danger when traversing the route, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department told Runner’s World.
The department confirmed the runner killed in the accident was 38-year-old Ernesto Alonzo Rodriguez. He slipped on the patch of ice while trail running, causing him to fall down the side of the embankment, hitting trees and rocks on the way down.
His three friends called for help and attempted to assist their friend until rescuers could get there, though slippery conditions made it difficult to get down the embankment to reach him. Rescuers from the Altadena Mountain Rescue Team, Montrose Search and Rescue Team, Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team, the Los Angeles County Fire Department, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department all assisted with the rescue.
Around 20 rescuers using crampon ice spikes attempted to reach the runner on foot, and it took 300 feet of rope to get down to where he fell. Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene.
The other runners were able to walk out on their own with the assistance of the rescue teams.
The trail is commonly used by runners and hikers, but the icy conditions were not usual: The trail does not typically get snow, but there had been a lot of rain and colder conditions than usual, which caused the ice, according to the spokesperson.
