Remains found in the California wilderness are identified as those of Julian Sands

Human remains found Saturday in the Southern California wilderness have been identified as those of British actor Julian Sands, who had been missing since January after going hiking in the area, authorities said Tuesday.

That’s what the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement that the remains had been “positively identified” as those of Mr Sands, and that the cause of death remained under investigation “pending further test results”.

Mr. Sands, 65, of North Hollywood, was an avid walker and was best known for his role in the critically acclaimed 1986 film “A Room With a View”. The film, an adaptation of EM Forster’s novel, regularly makes lists as one of the greatest British films of all time.

He also appeared in dozens of other movies and TV shows, including “Arachnophobia,” “Naked Lunch,” “Warlock,” and “Ocean’s Thirteen.”

Hikers found the remains Saturday morning in the Mount Baldy area, which is more than 40 miles northeast of Los Angeles, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said.

Mr Sands, who had a wife and three children, was reported missing in January after going for a walk alone on a trail on Mount Baldy. Hiking websites describe the popular trek as challenging and strenuous.

Search teams had spent months combing the area for Mr Sands, despite their efforts being hampered by hazardous conditions, including torrential rain and snow, some of which lingered into June.

In an update to the search on June 17, the sheriff’s department said parts of the mountain could still not be reached due to “extreme mountain conditions,” including steep terrain and canyons covered in more than 10 feet of ice and snow.

More than 80 search and rescue volunteers, deputies and staff members participated in the search that day. Two helicopters and drone crews were deployed to monitor areas inaccessible to searchers on the ground, the sheriff’s department said.

The sheriff’s department had conducted eight searches for Mr. Sands since January, authorities said, with volunteers searching for more than 500 hours. At the same time, eight other unrelated search and rescue operations were also conducted in the region.

Mr. Sands often spoke of his love of nature and said in a 2020 interview with The Guardian that he was happiest when he was near a mountaintop on a cold morning.

In another interview that same year with Thrive Globala health and wellness company founded by Arianna Huffington, he said he had spent time in mountain ranges in North America and Europe.

Mr. Sands said people who didn’t climb mountains assumed it was about ego and a “big heroic sprint” to the top.

“But actually it’s the other way around,” he said. “It’s about supplication and sacrifice and humility when you go to these mountains. It is not so much a celebration of oneself as the eradication of one’s self-consciousness. And so during these walks you lose yourself, you become a vessel of energy in harmony, hopefully with your surroundings.

Lauren McCarthy reporting contributed.