Julian Sands discovered ‘human remains’ just weeks before fatal hike

Just months before he went missing in the California peaks, Julian Sands spoke of the “chilling” moment he found human remains during a hike.

The Hirokin star was missing for over five months after he failed to return home from a hike in January.

Julian, an avid walker, often spoke about his treks and discoveries, but in the days following the confirmation of his death, an eery interview resurfaced.

In 2022, the actor detailed haunting things he found whilst hiking, telling Radio Times: “I’ve found spooky things on mountains when you know you’re in a place where many people have lost their lives, whether it be on the Eiger or in the Andes.”

“You may be confronted with human remains and that can be chilling,” Julian added.

Despite the haunting experience, the actor stated: “It’s not necessarily supernatural, it’s possibly all too natural – what I would call hypernatural.

“You’re in the presence of big nature and big nature is revealing itself in all its power. It can take us over a threshold of hypersensitivity into a realm of natural forces.”

Julian admitted people he would previously hike with had dropped the hobby as a result.

He continued: “Pals I used to climb with have stopped going to the mountains.

“If you don’t really have the desire, the focus for climbing a route, if you’re not absolutely committed, it becomes much more dangerous.”

Julian’s disappearance on the 10,000-foot Mount San Antonio sparked a huge search and rescue effort with helicopters and drones, but only his snow-covered car was recovered.

Two weeks into the search operation, Julian’s brother Nick accepted the actor would not be found alive.

At the time, Nick, who lives in Gargrave, North Yorkshire, had already said his “goodbyes”, but was holding out hope.

Nick stated: “He has not yet been declared missing, presumed dead, but I know in my heart that he has gone.”

Before Julian’s body was recovered, Californian officials were unable to locate the actor and blamed deadly storms, which hampered search efforts.

After human remains were discovered last week by hikers in the Baldy Bowl area at San Gabriel peaks, authorities confirmed Julian’s death.

The actor is survived by his three children, he had two daughters with the journalist Evgenia Citkowitz, who he married in 1990.

Julian also had a son with his first wife Sarah Sands, the former editor of the Sunday Telegraph and the Evening Standard.