(PatriotWise.com) — A father of five fell to his death last weekend while hiking Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge with his family, CBS News reported.
The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office said on Monday that Beaverton resident Geraldo Hernandez-Rodriguez, 41, fell about 200 feet on Saturday while hiking with his wife and five children on a popular trail near Oregon’s tallest waterfall, Multnomah Falls.
According to the sheriff’s office, Hernandez-Rodriguez tripped and fell from a switchback not far from the Benson Bridge near the falls. A US Forest Service ranger and sheriff’s deputies began searching the area while a nearby police department drone flew overhead searching the steep, inaccessible areas that could not be searched on foot.
A sheriff’s deputy discovered Hernandez-Rodriguez’s body at the base of a cliff directly below the spot he slipped.
According to the sheriff’s office, Hernandez-Rodriguez did not survive the fall.
In a statement, the sheriff’s office said it is likely that alcohol was “a contributing factor” in his fall.
At first, the sheriff’s office believed that he fell about 100 to 150 feet. However, after “further investigation,” they determined that he fell “nearly 200 feet,” the sheriff’s office said.
Multnomah Falls is the most-visited natural recreation destination in the Pacific Northwest, with over 2 million visitors every year, according to the US Forest Service.
In August 2022, a woman was killed after falling 100 feet from the same area where Hernandez-Rodriguez fell, according to CBS News.
The sheriff’s office encouraged those hiking the Columbia River Gorge to prepare for their visit by learning about the trail before leaving home. Visitors are also urged to wear proper footwear for hiking, keep an eye on their children, and watch where they step.
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