Julian Sands had the "wrong tools for the job at hand" when he embarked on his fatal climb at Mount Baldy.
The 65-year-old actor's remains were discovered in June, six months after he went missing in January, and the group of hikers who found his bones and belongings were shocked to see how seemingly unprepared he was for the snowy conditions.
One hiker told how they discovered his boots then trekking poles and bones, before coming across a "pile of dark winter clothes", with nothing in a bright colour that would have been easier for rescuers to spot.
One of the group told the Los Angeles Times newspaper: “He was dressed like a ninja."
Strapped to one of the boots was a set of microspikes, which are useful in snowy trails that are not too steep, whereas crampons - long heavy spikes - would have been better suited to the steep, icy terrain where the 'Room with a View' actor was trekking.
Hiker Bill Dwyer, one of the group who found Julian's remains, said: “I was a little shocked to see the microspikes. They were just the wrong tools for the job at hand.”
The group found no signs of a helmet or an ice axe and while they discovered the actor's cellphone on a rock beneath a tree, most of the area has no reception and found no evidence that Julian had other ways to find help.
After finding the remains, Bill used his Garmin InReach, a $400 pocket-sized satellite-messaging device to send an SOS with their exact location, and authorities responded within eight minutes.
The group are concerned Julian's chances of survival would have improved substantially with the right kit, especially if he just got lost or had been injured in a fall.
The group's organiser, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “Can you imagine the despair, the isolation?
"Hearing the helicopters, knowing people are looking for you, but having no way to signal to them. “I still have nightmares about that.”
Weeks after Julian's remains were discovered, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, announced the cause of his death was undetermined "due to the condition of the body and this is common when dealing with cases of this type."
