Rescuers were already warning hikers about river crossings when the call came in.
AZUSA, CA — A 33-year-old mother died after she was swept away by a fast-moving current in the East Fork of the San Gabriel River while hiking a popular trail in the Angeles National Forest, authorities said. Search teams later recovered her body downstream.
The death on the Bridge to Nowhere route, a well-known hike north of Los Angeles that requires multiple river crossings, came as rescue crews and forest officials warned that storms and runoff can turn calm-looking water into a powerful hazard. The incident also added to a winter of dangerous conditions across parts of the San Gabriel Mountains, where officials have taken steps to limit access in some areas because of weather-related risks.
Rescuers with the San Dimas Mountain Rescue Team said they were positioned near the East Fork trailhead around 8 a.m. Sunday, March 1, talking with hikers about safer ways to cross the river and urging people to reconsider the hike when water is high. Minutes later, a runner came toward them shouting that a woman had fallen into the river at the second crossing and was being carried downstream. The rescue team said it immediately activated an emergency response as other hikers pointed to the area where the woman disappeared.
Los Angeles County firefighters and sheriff’s deputies responded, including crews trained for swift-water incidents and air operations, officials said. Searchers fanned out along the canyon, scanning the river corridor and the banks where a person could be pinned by rocks or pulled into deeper chutes. Within about an hour, the rescue team said, crews located the woman and recovered her body. The Los Angeles County medical examiner identified her as Jaqueline Aguilar De Lao. She was 33. Officials did not immediately release details about where she lived or how many people were with her at the time.
The Bridge to Nowhere hike follows the East Fork of the San Gabriel River through a narrow canyon in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument area. The route is popular in warm months because the river is often low enough for hikers to wade across, cool off in shallow pools, and reach a concrete arch bridge that stands above the water. But the same crossings can become dangerous after heavy rain, when runoff narrows into fast channels that are deeper and stronger than they appear from the bank. Rescuers said the current in the East Fork can be unpredictable, and they described the conditions Sunday as hazardous.
The bridge itself is a landmark with a history tied to Southern California’s flood-prone mountains. Built in 1936 as part of a road project, it was left isolated after a major flood in March 1938 washed out sections of the planned route and ended the construction effort. Today, the bridge sits deep in rugged terrain and is reachable only on foot. The hike is about 10 miles round trip and typically includes at least six river crossings between the trailhead and the bridge, depending on the route hikers choose and the season. The repeated crossings are a big part of what draws visitors, and also what can put them at risk when water rises.
Officials said recent storms have pushed water levels up and made river crossings more treacherous across the region. Rescue personnel said they have seen hikers underestimate the force of moving water, especially when it looks shallow or when a person is trying to keep shoes and gear dry. The rescue team said it had been trying to prevent exactly this kind of tragedy by talking to visitors at the trailhead. In a statement shared after the recovery, the team said the incident changed the mood in an instant and left rescuers focused on a grieving family rather than a successful rescue.
The investigation into the death was continuing Tuesday, and officials said they were still working to understand the moments leading up to the fall. Authorities did not say whether Aguilar De Lao slipped on wet rocks, lost her footing while stepping between boulders, or was knocked off balance by the current. They also did not say whether she was using any safety equipment such as trekking poles, a rope line, or flotation gear. Rescue officials said swift-water incidents can unfold in seconds, leaving little time for nearby hikers to react once a person loses contact with the riverbed.
In the days after the death, rescuers and forest officials again stressed that conditions in the San Gabriel Mountains can shift quickly with weather and runoff. The U.S. Forest Service recently extended a temporary closure of several trails in the Mount Baldy area through March 20, citing public safety concerns related to winter hazards. While that closure does not cover the Bridge to Nowhere route, officials said it reflects the broader risks this season, including snow, ice, and fast water. Rescue groups said they are seeing more calls during storms and in the days immediately after, when rivers run high and trails are slick.
Hikers who were on the East Fork route Sunday described a busy trail and a loud river, with water moving quickly through narrow sections of the canyon. Some said they saw rescue teams and deputies arrive and watched helicopters circle overhead. Others turned back before reaching the bridge when they saw the crossings. The rescue team said its members were shaken by the outcome and offered condolences to Aguilar De Lao’s relatives, describing the loss of a mother as heartbreaking. “Our worst fears became reality,” the team said in its account of the call for help.
As of Tuesday, authorities had not announced any additional restrictions for the East Fork area, but rescue teams said they expected continued outreach and warnings while water remains high. Officials said the case remains under review by the medical examiner, and they said additional information could be released as investigators confirm the circumstances of the drowning. The next major benchmark for the region is March 20, when forest officials are scheduled to reassess the Mount Baldy area closure and conditions in the San Gabriel Mountains.
Author note: Last updated March 3, 2026.