The remains were discovered by civilian hikers on the morning of June 24 in Mount Baldy, in San Bernardino County, where Sands had disappeared.
Search crews had returned repeatedly to the mountain in the weeks and months following the 65-year-old actor's disappearance during a winter hike. On Tuesday, the San Bernardino County coroner's office confirmed the identification of Sands.
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Earlier this week, the family of Sands released a statement for the first time since his disappearance while hiking in the Mt. Baldy area in January.
"We continue to hold Julian in our hearts with bright memories of him as a wonderful father, husband, explorer, lover of the natural world and the arts, and as an original and collaborative performer," the statement said.
The video in the player above is from a previous report on this story.
Sands, the 65-year-old British-born actor best known for his role in the 1985 film "A Room With a View," was married for more than three decades to journalist Evgenia Citkowitz, and has three adult children.
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The massive Mount Baldy rises more than 10,000 feet east of Los Angeles and is a frequent spot for avid hikers.