PCT Hiker Dies Near Anza After Medical Emergency

A 43-year-old hiker died on the Pacific Crest Trail near Anza on April 9 after suffering what authorities described as a medical emergency.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department received a report at 11:38 a.m. of a hiker in distress along the trail just north of Coyote Canyon Road — a Jeep road that crosses the PCT near Mile 140, deep in California Section B. The location sits in the San Bernardino National Forest between Warner Springs, the San Jacinto Mountains and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, one of the more remote and exposed stretches of the southern PCT.

Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department crews responded but couldn’t reach the hiker on foot due to the terrain. The sheriff’s aviation unit was called in to access the site. Deputies provided medical aid after reaching the hiker by helicopter, but he was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:19 p.m.

The Riverside County Coroner’s Bureau identified the hiker as Ian Maclurg, 43. News outlets initially reported his residence as San Diego; the coroner’s official press release lists his city of residence as Larkspur, California.

The coroner’s investigation is ongoing. No cause of death has been released. Section B of the PCT runs nearly 100 miles from Warner Springs to the trail’s intersection with I-10 near Whitewater. Northbound thru-hikers typically pass through this stretch in April and early May, and the section is known for long waterless stretches, full sun exposure, and limited bail-out options between road crossings.

The San Jacinto Mountains, which thru-hikers encounter at the northern end of Section B, are the first serious alpine terrain on a northbound PCT attempt.

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