Authorities say a father died over the weekend when he fell roughly 200 feet while hiking with his wife and five children in Oregon. The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office on Monday identified the man as 41-year-old Gerardo Hernandez-Rodriguez of Beaverton, Oregon.
Hernandez-Rodriguez was hiking with his family on a popular trail near Multnomah Falls, the state's tallest waterfall, on Saturday, the sheriff's office said.
He stumbled and fell from a switchback not far from the falls and the scenic Benson Bridge, roughly 30 miles east of Portland.
Sheriff's deputies and a U.S. Forest Service ranger began to search the area, asking a nearby police department for a drone to help search the steep and largely inaccessible terrain.
A sheriff's deputy found Hernandez-Rodriguez at the base of a cliff near a highway, directly below the trail where he slipped. He did not survive the fall, the sheriff's office said, and officials believe alcohol impairment was "likely a contributing factor in the fall."
"It was initially believed Hernandez fell approximately 100-150 feet," the sheriff's office said. "After further investigation, it is estimated that Hernandez fell nearly 200 feet."
More than 2 million people go to Multnomah Falls each year, making it the most visited natural recreation site in the Pacific Northwest, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Last August, a woman fell about 100 feet and died in the same area.
"We encourage all who come to hike and explore the Columbia River Gorge to be prepared," the sheriff's office said. "Before leaving home, learn more about the hiking trail or destination, consider footwear and pack the ten essentials. On the trail, be aware of your surroundings, watch where you step and keep children in reach."
