The two climbers whose bodies were found Wednesday on the rock face of a mountain just east of Idyllwild have been identified by the Riverside County coroner.
According to the Riverside County Fire Department, a report of “downhill hikers” arrived at 12:25 p.m. near the Tahquitz Peak Fire Lookout, southeast of Humber Park in the San Bernardino National Forest.
On Thursday, the coroner identified the two as Gavin Escobar, 31, and Chelsea Walsh, 33. Escobar and Walsh are both from Huntington Beach.
Escobar was a former NFL player, spending most of his career with the Dallas Cowboys. He attended San Diego State before being drafted by the Cowboys in 2013. He also played for the Dolphins and Browns. He last played in 2019.
In February 2022, Escobar became a member of the Long Beach Fire Department, the department confirmed on Facebook.
Escobar leaves behind a wife and two young children.
Riverside County fire crews had accessed the rock face during the rescue attempt, but determined both victims died at the scene.
The image above shows an aerial view of where the two climbers were found.
The agency described the two victims as rock climbers, although it’s not immediately clear if they suffered fatal injuries while climbing or descending the mountainside, or if they died. by other means.
The coroner noted that the location of the injury was the same as that of death.
CalFIRE turned the case over to Riverside County Sheriff’s investigators.
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