JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) — Authorities say a 25-year-old Southern California man has died in a fall while climbing a famous rock formation at Joshua Tree National Park.
The Riverside County coroner's office says Samuel Boldissar was pronounced dead at the scene Tuesday at Cyclops Rock near the park's northwest corner.
Park spokesman George Land tells the Desert Sun that Boldissar was near the top of the formation when he plummeted about 60 feet. Land calls the accident a "devastating fall."
The newspaper says an investigation finds the Redondo Beach resident fell because his gear failed or wasn't properly secured.
His companions describe him as a beginner rock climber.
Cyclops Rock, which gets its name from a cave near the top of the formation, is one of the park's
more popular climbing sites.
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Information from: The Desert Sun, http://www.desertsun.com http://www.desertsun.com
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