Two rock climbers were found dead near Tahquitz Rock in Idyllwild after they were reported to be injured, authorities said Thursday.
The Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department said it responded to the scene after a bystander in the area reported the accident around 12:25 p.m. Wednesday. Rescuers struggled to access the area, and when they arrived, they discovered the unidentified climbers, a man and a woman, according to the department.
The two were both dead, the department said.
A spokeswoman for the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, which is leading the investigation into the deaths, said there did not appear to be evidence of foul play.
Inaccessible Rescue:rpt@12:25 Tahquitz Rock, Idyllwild. Report of two injured rock climbers. Firefighters are attempting to hike to the victim’s location. Mountain Rescue Team requested. #HumberICpic.twitter.com/eCyG8E8qxc
— CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department (@CALFIRERRU) September 28, 2022
About 0.2 inch of rain fell in the Idyllwild region around the time of the accident, but the Sheriff's Department said it was not clear if the weather was a factor in the deaths.
Tahquitz Rock, with its steep granite cliffs, is a popular destination for rock climbers across California. Climbers have died in the past in the area, also known as Lily Rock.
Two San Fernando Valley climbers fell 200 feet to their deaths on the rock in 2000.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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