Hiker killed in 200ft fall at Oregon’s Multnomah Falls
A 41-year-old man hiking a popular waterfall in Oregon died over the weekend after tripping and falling 200 feet from a cliff, authorities said Monday.
The hiker, identified as Gerardo Hernandez-Rodriguez, was discovered dead at the base after rescuers responded to reports of his fall at Multnomah Falls on Saturday afternoon, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. communicated.
“Hernandez is estimated to have fallen nearly 200 feet,” the office said. “Alcoholism is thought to have been a likely contributing factor in the fall.”
NBC affiliate KGW of Portland reported that Hernandez is a father of five children.
He was on a trail near Benson Bridge when he fell, the sheriff’s office said. Sheriff’s deputies, a U.S. Forest Service ranger and first responders from the Corbett Fire District launched a search and rescue operation.
The sheriff’s office described the terrain as “inaccessible” and “steep”.
A deputy found Hernandez’s body near the historic Columbia River Highway, just below his waterfall, he said.
The 620-foot Multnomah Falls, 30 miles east of Portland, are part of the Columbia River Gorge. It stands out as the most visited natural recreation site in the Pacific Northwest, according to the US Forest Service.
The sheriff’s office urged visitors to take the area’s trails seriously by preparing for rough terrain and studying a map beforehand.
“It’s not a paved walk,” Deputy John Plock told KGW. “This is a hiking trail, so we encourage people to come prepared for a real hike.”
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