Michelle Yu (Family Photo) |
MT. BALDY ( KTLA) -- L.A. County search crews have retrieved a body believed to be that of missing hiker Michelle Yu.
A helicopter flew into an area northwest of the summit, known as Fish Fork, and dropped a rescue team down to remove the body thought to be the 49-year-old hiker from Venice, said Jodi Miller, a spokeswoman with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.
Late Thursday afternoon, family members released the following statement.
Over the course of the last four days, our family has fought to keep hope alive that our beloved Michelle would come home to us after an exhausting ordeal on Mount Baldy. We are simply devastated to know now that she will not.
Our family cannot adequately express our grief at the untimely passing of our vibrant, incredible Michelle; but, we have been so touched by and grateful for the outpouring of support from so many people who loved and cared for her.
From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for all of your thoughts, prayers, and efforts.
"Thank you" does not begin to sufficiently relay our immense gratitude and appreciation for all of the counties, especially San Bernardino and Los Angeles, which extended such tremendous support to the Search and Rescue efforts to find Michelle in difficult conditions at the risk of their own safety.
To all of the officials, countless volunteers, and well-wishers who contributed vastly in the efforts to recover our loved one, we are forever grateful.
Our family would also like to extend our deepest gratitude to Pastor Ron Thomas and the Mt. Baldy Village Church for opening their doors to family and friends during the search.
We cannot comprehend a world without our Michelle, but find some comfort in knowing that she left us while doing something she loved.
For those so inclined, in lieu of flowers or any other forms of sympathy, our family would appreciate you supporting your local Sheriff's Search and Rescue programs through contributions made in memory of Michelle Yu.
Search-and-rescue crews have speculated that fog and otherwise poor conditions at the peak might have confused the hiker, causing her to take a wrong turn, slip and fall, Miller said.
The retrieval team had to be airlifted to the site because the "terrain is not safe enough to hike up," she said. Yu signed the log book at the Sierra Hut Trail head about 8:30 a.m. Saturday.
The body was spotted by a search helicopter Wednesday night in the Fish Fork area, 2,100 feet down the side of a cliff.
Yu, described as an experienced hiker, was reported missing Sunday after she failed to return from a hike a day earlier.
Yu's vehicle was found at Mt. Baldy and Falls roads.
Authorities initially feared that she may have fallen and injured herself after they were unable to reach her on her cell phone.
Some hikers reported hearing a woman screaming from a canyon around 6 p.m. Sunday, but couldn't determine exactly where the voice came from.
Search-and-rescue crews and a helicopter scoured the area for any signs of Yu.
Sheriff's spokeswoman Arden Wiltshire says Yu had food and water with her, but was planning only a one-day hike.
Wiltshire also says she wasn't dressed for the storm that hit the mountain with rain, wind and snow Sunday night.
Rescue crews say conditions on the mountain were miserable and at one point even forced them to hunker down as strong winds blew rain sideways along the trails.
During her hike, Yu had been carrying a 40-pound bag of rocks on her back to train for an upcoming extreme hike in the Andes Mountains.
A helicopter flew into an area northwest of the summit, known as Fish Fork, and dropped a rescue team down to remove the body thought to be the 49-year-old hiker from Venice, said Jodi Miller, a spokeswoman with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.
Late Thursday afternoon, family members released the following statement.
Over the course of the last four days, our family has fought to keep hope alive that our beloved Michelle would come home to us after an exhausting ordeal on Mount Baldy. We are simply devastated to know now that she will not.
Our family cannot adequately express our grief at the untimely passing of our vibrant, incredible Michelle; but, we have been so touched by and grateful for the outpouring of support from so many people who loved and cared for her.
From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for all of your thoughts, prayers, and efforts.
"Thank you" does not begin to sufficiently relay our immense gratitude and appreciation for all of the counties, especially San Bernardino and Los Angeles, which extended such tremendous support to the Search and Rescue efforts to find Michelle in difficult conditions at the risk of their own safety.
To all of the officials, countless volunteers, and well-wishers who contributed vastly in the efforts to recover our loved one, we are forever grateful.
Our family would also like to extend our deepest gratitude to Pastor Ron Thomas and the Mt. Baldy Village Church for opening their doors to family and friends during the search.
We cannot comprehend a world without our Michelle, but find some comfort in knowing that she left us while doing something she loved.
For those so inclined, in lieu of flowers or any other forms of sympathy, our family would appreciate you supporting your local Sheriff's Search and Rescue programs through contributions made in memory of Michelle Yu.
Search-and-rescue crews have speculated that fog and otherwise poor conditions at the peak might have confused the hiker, causing her to take a wrong turn, slip and fall, Miller said.
The retrieval team had to be airlifted to the site because the "terrain is not safe enough to hike up," she said. Yu signed the log book at the Sierra Hut Trail head about 8:30 a.m. Saturday.
The body was spotted by a search helicopter Wednesday night in the Fish Fork area, 2,100 feet down the side of a cliff.
Yu, described as an experienced hiker, was reported missing Sunday after she failed to return from a hike a day earlier.
Yu's vehicle was found at Mt. Baldy and Falls roads.
Authorities initially feared that she may have fallen and injured herself after they were unable to reach her on her cell phone.
Some hikers reported hearing a woman screaming from a canyon around 6 p.m. Sunday, but couldn't determine exactly where the voice came from.
Search-and-rescue crews and a helicopter scoured the area for any signs of Yu.
Sheriff's spokeswoman Arden Wiltshire says Yu had food and water with her, but was planning only a one-day hike.
Wiltshire also says she wasn't dressed for the storm that hit the mountain with rain, wind and snow Sunday night.
Rescue crews say conditions on the mountain were miserable and at one point even forced them to hunker down as strong winds blew rain sideways along the trails.
During her hike, Yu had been carrying a 40-pound bag of rocks on her back to train for an upcoming extreme hike in the Andes Mountains.
