A 41-year-old man hiking at a popular waterfall in Oregon died over the weekend when he stumbled and fell 200 feet down 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.
“It is estimated that Hernandez fell nearly 200 feet,” the office said. “It is believed that alcohol impairment was likely a contributing factor in the fall.”
NBC affiliate KGW of Portland reported that Hernandez was a father of five.
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 Corbett Fire District first responders launched a search-and-rescue operation.
The terrain was described by the sheriff’s office as “inaccessible” and “steep.”
A deputy found Hernandez’s body off Historic Columbia River Highway, directly below his fall, it said.
The 620-foot Multnomah Falls, 30 miles east of Portland, is part of the Columbia River Gorge and stands out as the most visited natural recreation site in the Pacific Northwest, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
The sheriff’s office urged visitors to take the area’s trails seriously by preparing for rough terrain and studying a map ahead of time.
“It’s not a paved walk,” Deputy John Plock told KGW. “This is a hiking trail, and so we encourage people to come prepared for an actual hike.”
