(KRON) -- A 19-year-old man who was among three hikers who died on a Southern California mountain trail known as "Devil's Backbone" was identified on Wednesday. The teenaged hiker was identified by a San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office coroner as Marcus Alexander Muench Casanova of Seal Beach, Calif. Casanova was a freshman student at Santa Clara University and an avid outdoorsman, the New York Post reported. Investigators are still working to confirm the identities of two more hikers who died with Casanova Monday. Towering at 10,000 feet, Mount Baldy is the tallest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains and a popular challenge among outdoor fitness enthusiasts. Devil's Backbone is a 14-mile-long trail with more than 4,000 feet of elevation gain leading to Mount Baldy's peak, according to AllTrails.com. In the winter, the peak can be covered with snow and ice, making hiking conditions even more difficult. It's unclear when the three hikers' fateful climb up Mount Baldy began. One of the three hikers, a 19-year-old man, fell 500 feet, investigators said. The San Gabriel Mountains are capped with snow on Feb. 12, 2024. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda / The Press-Enterprise via Getty Images) The injured hiker's friend was able to find an area with cell service to call authorities for help and provide GPS coordinates. A search and rescue team from the sheriff's Fontana station deployed around 11:30 a.m. on December 29, according to SBCSO. Some members of the team began climbing the mountain, while others launched a helicopter to conduct an aerial search. "During the aerial search, deputies located the injured hiker and located two additional individuals. Due to severe winds, the helicopter was unable to safely complete the rescue," the sheriff's office wrote. Sheriff Shannon Dicus described weather and terrain conditions as "extremely dangerous and unpredictable." A search and rescue airship arrived at Devil’s Backbone at 7:30 p.m. on December 29 to make another rescue attempt. "High winds again prevented a hoist operation; however, an air medic was hoisted down and confirmed all three individuals were deceased," the sheriff's office wrote. With the hikers' deaths confirmed, the team's operation shifted from a rescue mission into a body recovery effort, officials said. Officials have not said when the three hikers began their hike, so it's unclear how long the trio was on the mountain. The sheriff's office said all three bodies were recovered, and their cause of death will be determined by a coroner. Triathlete dies in suspected Pacific Grove shark attack Sheriff Dicus said, "The tragic loss of life on Mt. Baldy and repeated rescue responses highlight how dangerous current conditions are, even for experienced hikers. Weather and terrain conditions remain extremely dangerous and unpredictable, posing a significant risk to both the public and Search and Rescue personnel." Two more hikers became stranded on Mount Baldy's Ontario Peak Trail Monday before they were successfully rescued. The rescued hikers were identified as an 18-year-old man from Riverside County and a 31-year-old man from San Bernardino County. One of the men fell 100 feet from the Ontario Peak Trail and suffered injuries. Just before 2 p.m., the duo was able to call 911 and provide their location. "San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Air Rescue arrived on scene, located the hikers, and performed a hoist rescue. This rescue was a separate search-and-rescue call from the Devil’s Backbone Trail incident, where three individuals were found deceased by rescue crews," the sheriff's office wrote. Following the hikers' deaths, U.S. Forest Service officials issued a temporary closure for portions of San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, including Mount Baldy, until 11:59 p.m. December 31. "The temporary closure of Mt. Baldy trails is necessary to prevent additional emergencies and protect lives. The public is urged to respect the closure and avoid the area," Dicus said. ...read more read less