How did Crystal Paula Gonzalez die? Chilling video reveals hiker's last words during Mt Baldy climb
LA, CALIFORNIA : A 56-year-old woman named Crystal Paula Gonzalez from California has fallen to her death trying to scale one of the most popular mountain trails in the Los Angeles area, Mount Baldy. She is the second person to die on the route in two weeks.
Gonzalez, a mother of four dubbed “the dancing hiking queen,” uploaded her final video 2 days ago on Facebook. She often used to update her friends about her adventures on Facebook. In the video she can be seen saying, "It's go time" and "Lots of people out here today"
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In the video, ice can be heard getting crunched beneath her feet. Shorly after that, Gonzalez slipped and plunged 700ft down the Baldy Bowl. San Bernardino Sheriff's Department said they received a call from California Office of Emergency Services, which was alerted via a Garmin Inreach device. A helicopter was immediately dispatched after the call, and according to their incident report, soon found Gonzalez "down on a steep and icy hillside, surrounded by numerous helpful hikers assisting in any way they could."
The medic on board the helicopter requested an air ambulance, but Gonzalez had died from her injuries before she could be airlifted out of the scene. Just a few days before falling to her death, she posted a video of the dangerous conditions at Baldy Bowl.
"This stuff is dangerous!!!!!! Beware hikers….," she wrote, with the hashtags: #MountainLessons #Learning #DangerousTerrain #Bowltrail #Mountbaldy.
Gonzalez's family set up a GoFundMe page on which they remembered her "for her fearless hikes, and daily dose of inspiration." Her daughter Jasmine Rosado wrote, "More importantly she was an amazing mother of four, a sister and a friend to everyone she met. She is the personification of strength, love, and beauty. She was a beacon of light to everyone who knew her and was always ready to lend a helping hand."
Gonzalez is the second person to die on Mount Baldy in two weeks. Jarret Choi, 43, from LA, was hiking the Ice House Canyon trail on 28 December when fell near the Ice House Saddle ridge line. Extreme weather hampered with the search and he was found 2 days later. Authorities have stressed that hikers must wear appropriate clothing for the cold weather and have proper snow and ice gear.