Excessive heat warning in effect; Sheriff issues safety tips for hikers

July 11, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for San Diego County’s desert areas, cautioning that conditions “could be deadly” for unprepared campers or hikers. 

That message comes too late for Lynn Thu Tran, 19, of Escondido.  She was found unconscious with signs of heat stroke on the Julian side of Cedar Creek Falls at 5:30 p.m. on July 9. She was airlifted to Palomar Hospital but did not survive.  According to the Medical Examiner, she died of hypethermia, conditions related to a heat stroke.

Updates to this story have now been posted on the victim, as well as on a new ban on jumping, alcohol, and other activities at the falls. Get the latest details at: http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/6613

July 6, 2011 (Ramona) – The U.S. Forest Service has closed Cedar Creek Falls for an investigation into a deadly fall today that killed one visitor and injured another.

The fatal accident is at least the fourth serious injury incident during the holiday weekend at Cedar Creek Falls, according to Incident Page Network. The Forest Service recently opened a new trail to make the popular destination accessible to more people.