Man falls 300 feet to his death while hiking with wife along Oregon coast

A California man died after falling 300 feet while hiking with his wife in Oregon, officials said in a news release.

Richard Ehrhart, 69, was hiking the Natural Bridges Coastal Trail in Curry County, Oregon, on Sunday with his wife, Susan Kimura. The two men separated on the trail, the sheriff’s office said, and Kimura returned to the couple’s car.

It’s unclear what exactly led to Ehrhart’s downfall.

The Curry County Sheriff’s Office said it received a call from a person who reported seeing someone who appeared deceased on the rocks below the trail around 2:35 p.m. local time. Deputies from the Curry County Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene, along with an Oregon State Trooper. Members of the sheriff’s office search and rescue team were called to the scene, the news release said, and two team members rappelled down to where Ehrhart had fallen.

Members of the search and rescue team, along with other officials at the scene, returned Ehrhart’s body to the trail, where he was identified.

A chaplain was called to the scene to inform Kimura of her husband’s death, the sheriff’s office said.

An investigation into the fall by Oregon State Police is ongoing, the sheriff’s office said.

The sheriff’s office said the incident should serve as a reminder of the “dangers of hiking coastal trails” and warned potential hikers to be safe in the area.

The Coastal Trail is an easy hike, according to AllTrails.com, which categorizes and provides hiking instructions for the country’s trails, and offers views of arched rocks above the ocean. However, the area has “steep cliffs” and hikers are recommended to always stay on marked trails and lookout areas, the site says.