Actor Julian Sands, missing for months, found dead on Mt. Baldy, officials say

Rene Ray De La Cruz, Victorville Daily Press
·3 min read
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Human remains found by hikers over the weekend have been identified as missing Hollywood actor and hiker Julian Sands, the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner's Office confirmed on Tuesday.

Sands, a 65-year-old resident of North Hollywood, went missing on Jan. 13 on the ice and snow-covered terrain of Mt. Baldy. Since his disappearance, the sheriff's office and search parties had combed the area looking for him. It wasn't until last Saturday around 10 a.m. that some hikers in the Mt. Baldy Wilderness Area discovered human remains and summoned deputies from the Fontana Sheriff's station.

Deputies and sheriff’s Emergency Operations Division personnel responded to the scene. The remains were then taken to the coroner’s office.

The manner of Sands’ death is still under investigation, said sheriff’s officials, who extended their gratitude to the many volunteers who worked to find the missing actor.

Human remains found by civilian hikers over the weekend in the Mt. Baldy Wilderness Area have been identified as missing actor and hiker Julian Sands. The 65-year-old resident of North Hollywood, went missing on January 13 on the ice and snow-covered terrain of Mt. Baldy.
Human remains found by civilian hikers over the weekend in the Mt. Baldy Wilderness Area have been identified as missing actor and hiker Julian Sands. The 65-year-old resident of North Hollywood, went missing on January 13 on the ice and snow-covered terrain of Mt. Baldy.

The search for Sands

The remains were discovered about a week after sheriff’s officials announced a major search effort for Sands.

Earlier, on June 1, a group of 80 search and rescue volunteers, deputies, and staff combed the mountain area aided by two helicopters and drone crews.

Aviation resources took search teams into remote areas across Mt. Baldy.

Despite the recent warmer weather, portions of the mountain remain inaccessible due to "extreme alpine conditions." The terrain is steep in many areas, and there are ravines, which still have 10-plus feet of ice and snow, authorities said.

“Unfortunately, Mr. Sands was not located,” sheriff’s officials reported on June 19.

Human remains found by civilian hikers over the weekend in the Mt. Baldy Wilderness Area have been identified as missing actor and hiker Julian Sands. The 65-year-old resident of North Hollywood, went missing on January 13 on the ice and snow-covered terrain of Mt. Baldy.
Human remains found by civilian hikers over the weekend in the Mt. Baldy Wilderness Area have been identified as missing actor and hiker Julian Sands. The 65-year-old resident of North Hollywood, went missing on January 13 on the ice and snow-covered terrain of Mt. Baldy.

All told the sheriff’s department conducted eight searches for Sands by ground and air, with volunteers spending more than 500 combined hours scouring for the actor.

Additionally, eight unrelated search and rescue operations were conducted in the Mt. Baldy area.

An avid hiker

Sands was an admitted mountaineer and hiker who enjoyed the outdoor lifestyle and even shed tears after completing a trail.

“The local mountains offer great adventure. You can go out for an hour, a day, or even several days," said Sands in a 2020 interview with Thrive Global. "It's always different and always fantastic. And of course, I do believe in a certain athleticism for me as an actor, keeping fit is important. So living, or being based in Los Angeles — actors don't really live anywhere, they are always on the road — lends itself to a wonderful outdoors lifestyle."

Sands told Thrive Global that one of the things that recently made him cry was a time when he finished a hike and pondered being able to rest his feet and the relief of completing the trail.

“I love climbing mountains. I’ve spent a lot of time in the Alps over the years, a lot of time in the Andes, Alaska, and the American ranges,” Sands said. “Climbing mountains, a lot of time people who don’t climb mountains assume is about this great heroic sprint for the summit. And somehow, this great ego-driven ambition. But actually, it’s the reverse. It’s about supplication and sacrifice and humility when you go to these mountains. It’s not so much a celebration of oneself but the eradication of one’s self consciousness. And so, on these walks, you lose yourself. You become a vessel of energy in harmony, hopefully, with your environment. So when that came to an end a couple of days ago, I cried myself a tear of relief.”

San Bernardino County Sheriff’s officials initiated major ground and air search effort on Saturday, June 17, 2023 for missing hiker and actor Julian Sands, who went missing on Mt. Baldy.
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s officials initiated major ground and air search effort on Saturday, June 17, 2023 for missing hiker and actor Julian Sands, who went missing on Mt. Baldy.

Julian Sands’ work

A British actor, Sands starred with Helena Bonham Carter in the 1985 British romance from director James Ivory, “A Room With a View.”

He also had major roles in 1989′s “Warlock,” 1990′s “Arachnophobia,” 1991′s “Naked Lunch,” 1993′s “Boxing Helena,” and 1995′s “Leaving Las Vegas.”

Sands worked consistently in the decades since with smaller roles in film and television. The actor’s most recent credit is in the 2022 horror film "The Ghosts of Monday," according to IMDb.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Actor Julian Sands, missing for months, found dead on Mt. Baldy