Hikers who found body of Julian Sands recount 'chilling' experience

The hikers who found the body of Julian Sands in California's Mount Baldy area, have shared their feelings on finding the actor's corpse, saying that it was a chilling and surreal experience.

As reported by People magazine, Sands, who died at the age of 65, was first reported missing on January 3, and his corpse was found on June 24. His belongings were scattered all over, but his body was found intact.

"It was surreal," Bill Dwyer, one of the hikers who stumbled upon Sands' remains in Goode Canyon in the area, told The Los Angeles Times. Dwyer, who was one of the members of the rescue team in the search operations, found a boot away from the rubble.

After that, they found yet another boot, then trekking poles and uncovered some human bones, and later came across "a pile of dark winter clothes" nearby, with a pocket containing a wallet with a driver's license that displayed Sands' face.

"He was dressed like a ninja," one of the hikers recalled upon finding his torn clothing. Strapped to one of Sands' boots were a set of microspikes, which are typically used for shallow snowy trails.

"I was a little shocked to see the microspikes," Dwyer said. "They were just the wrong tools for the job at hand."

The hiking group also said they were aware of the ongoing search for Sands when they embarked on their trail. They figured that Goode Canyon "was a likely place for (Sands) to end up" following his last reported cellphone ping at an "icy ridge" on Baldy Bowl trail, the Times reported.

The group then told The Times that Sands' cellphone was also discovered on a rock under a tree, though the hikers couldn't find any signal where they discovered his remains. No backpack was found with the remains as well, they said.

Sands was an avid hiker and went on several hiking trips. Upon being identified, Sands was declared dead, though the exact cause of death still remains a mystery.