A renowned composer who died while hiking on a notorious Southern California mountain trail suffered a cardiac emergency.

Mark Smythe, a 53-year-old New Zealand-born musician, passed away Saturday while climbing Mount Wilson near Sierra Madre , according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.

The coroner’s online database listed Smythe’s cause of death as atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, a condition in which plaque builds up in the arteries and can lead to heart attacks.

Mark Smythe, a 53-year-old New Zealand-born musician, passed away Saturday while climbing Mount Wilson near Sierra Madre. Facebook/@kate.wardsmythe

Friends and family members reportedly performed CPR on Smythe before rescuers arrived, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.…