SAN BERNARDINO, CA - The disappearance of actor Julian Sands remains a mystery months after he went hiking on Mount Baldy and never came back.
Authorities conducted a weekend-long search across remote areas of the mountain in a fruitless effort to find the "Arachnophobia" actor. Earlier efforts to rescue him were hampered in January by a relentless series of snow storms, making for perilous search conditions. Despite the sunny June weather, portions of the mountain remain buried in 10-plus feet (3 meters) of ice and snow, according to authorities.
Sands, a married father of three from North Hollywood, went for a hike on Jan. 13, the same weekend a surprisingly powerful storm dropped several inches of snow on the mountain. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said the latest search was conducted Saturday by more than 80 search-and-rescue volunteers and deputies, two helicopters and drone crews.
Search teams were flown into remote areas and drones were used to search areas inaccessible to ground crews, the department said in a statement.
"Despite the recent warmer weather, portions of the mountain remain inaccessible due to extreme alpine conditions," the department said. "Multiple areas include steep terrain and ravines, which still have 10-plus feet (3 meters) of ice and snow."
The search was the latest in a series of searches conducted since January. Sands is one of several hikers to get lost in perilous conditions on Mount Baldy this year. In January, alone, two people died and 15 hikers were rescued.
Sands starred opposite Helena Bonham Carter in the 1985 British romance "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, 65, is known for his work in films and shows such as 1989's "Warlock," "The Killing Fields," "A Room with a View," "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," 1991's "Naked Lunch," 1993's "Boxing Helena," 1995's "Leaving Las Vegas," "24," and "Smallville."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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