Hikers Who Found Julian Sands' Remains Describe the Moment of Discovery as 'Surreal'

The actor's remains were discovered in Mount Baldy, California, in June, six months after he was reported missing

The hikers who found Julian Sands' remains are describing the discovery as “surreal."

Sands was confirmed dead at 65 after his remains were discovered in Mount Baldy, California, by recreational hikers on June 24. The British actor was first reported missing on Jan. 13 after going on a solo hike.

“It was surreal,” Bill Dwyer, one of the hikers who stumbled upon Sands’ remains in Goode Canyon in the area, told The Los Angeles Times.

According to the outlet, the hiking group was three hours into their ascent on Mount Baldy when they discovered a boot, followed by another boot further up the mountain.

They then found trekking poles and bones, and later came across “a pile of dark winter clothes” nearby, with a pocket containing a wallet with a driver's license that displayed Sands’ face.

Related: Julian Sands' Cause of Death Deemed 'Undetermined' 4 Weeks After His Body Was Found

“He was dressed like a ninja,” one of the hikers recalled to the Times of the clothing found.

Strapped to one of Sands’ boots were a set of microspikes, which are typically used for shallow snowy trails. “I was a little shocked to see the microspikes,” Dwyer told the outlet. “They were just the wrong tools for the job at hand.”

The hiking group also said they were aware of the ongoing search for Sands when they embarked on their trail. They figured that Goode Canyon “was a likely place for [Sands] to end up” following his last reported cellphone ping at an “icy ridge” on Baldy Bowl trail, the Times reported.

The group told the outlet that Sands' cellphone was also discovered on a rock under a tree — though the hikers couldn’t find any signal where they discovered his remains. No backpack was found with the remains as well, they said.

Related: Julian Sands, 65, Confirmed Dead 5 Months After Actor Disappeared While Hiking

Prior to the discovery, search and rescue teams split into two groups, with one descending from the top of Goode Canyon, and the other ascending from the bottom in hopes of finding Sands. Both groups failed to reach the middle of the mountain, where the actor was eventually found, according to the Times.

“It was just one of those things,” Donna Newlin, a member of San Bernardino County’s search and rescue team, told the outlet. “If they had gone another 600 feet farther down, they might have found him.”

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Following the discovery of the remains, Dwyer sent an SOS to authorities on his Garmin InReach — a satellite-messaging device — and they responded in eight minutes, per the Times.

“Can you imagine the despair, the isolation?” the group’s organizer told the outlet. “Hearing the helicopters, knowing people are looking for you, but having no way to signal to them. I still have nightmares about that.”

Sands' cause of death was previously confirmed to PEOPLE to be deemed "undetermined" by a public information officer for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

The officer clarified that his cause of death was ruled "undetermined due to the condition of the body and this is common when dealing with cases of this type."

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