California Hiking Death Sparks Warnings
A young mother was swept away and drowned during a river crossing near the popular Bridge to Nowhere hiking trail in Southern California. Officials are warning hikers to be cautious of dangerous river conditions, particularly after recent storms have swollen waterways.
The victim was identified as 33-year-old Jaqueline Aguilar De Lao. She was at the second river crossing of the popular Bridge to Nowhere trail when she was swept away by the powerful current of the East Fork of the San Gabriel River. Ironically, members of the San Dimas Mountain Rescue Team were already at the trailhead that Sunday morning, actively warning hikers about the hazardous water conditions. A runner alerted them to the unfolding tragedy, prompting an immediate emergency response that shifted from rescue to recovery after her body was located. Rescue teams have explicitly urged the public to stay away from the East Fork and the Bridge to Nowhere trail until the significantly elevated water levels from recent storms subside. They warn that the multiple water crossings can take even experienced hikers by surprise in the current swift conditions. The trail itself, a popular 10-mile trek in the Angeles National Forest, leads to a historic bridge from the 1930s that was part of a road washed out by a flood in 1938. This history underscores the long-standing power of the river in the canyon. This area of the San Gabriel Mountains has a history of rescues and fatalities. The trail had only reopened the previous summer after being closed for nearly a year due to the 56,000-acre Bridge fire in 2024, which has led to concerns about flooding and debris flows in the burn scar area.
