NEED TO KNOW
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After calling his dad because he was lost on a trail in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge, a 45-year-old hiker was found dead the following morning
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The hiker, whose name has not been revealed, is believed to have suffered a fall, leading to his death
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The dad headed out to try and find him after their call dropped, with Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson John Plock confirming, “I’ve spoken to the dad. He fell a couple of times, some dirt and blood on his pants. He wanted to come to find his son”
A missing hiker found dead near an Oregon trail called his dad for help hours before his body was found the following morning.
On Wednesday, Sept. 10, shortly after 8:30 a.m. local time, officials responded to a report of a missing 49-year-old hiker near Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) said in a news release.
The hiker’s body was found at the base of Wiesendanger Falls along the Larch Mountain Trail near Multnomah Falls after officials “received a separate call from a person who reported finding an unresponsive person.”
“Members of the MCSO’s Green Hornets rescue team responded to the scene, located the body, and confirmed the person had died,” the MCSO said.
“The Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office also responded to the scene and will work with investigators to confirm the cause of death,” the release added.
Getty
A photo of a trail near Multnomah Falls in Oregon
While initially speaking to reporters at the scene, MCSO spokesperson John Plock didn’t confirm that the body found was that of the missing hiker, according to a clip shared by Fox 12 Oregon on Instagram.
However, local CBS-affiliated station KOIN said that the medical examiner stated just before 3 p.m. on Wednesday that the two cases were related.
A sheriff’s office spokesperson also confirmed the body belonged to the missing hiker, Fox 12 Oregon stated.
Plock told reporters that the hiker, whose identity hasn’t yet been released, set off for the hike at around 1 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Sept. 9.
“Later in the evening, sometime after 7 p.m., he called his father on his cell phone, told him he was a little bit lost … It seems that his father was familiar with the trails up here, and so his father gave him some directions on how to get back down,” Plock said, per the clip.
“He was hoping his son would be able to make it down. This morning, he tried to contact his son, was unable to get in contact with him,” the officer added, saying that the father then alerted officials the following morning.
“Shortly after 8:30 [a.m.] he called 911 and reported that his son did not return from his hike yesterday,” Plock continued.
He said police then received a “second unrelated call from another hiker who had found a dead body at the base of Wiesendanger Falls,” adding that the hiker appeared to have suffered “a fall.”
“The spot where the body is [was] just above an area of the trail where the trail is near a cliff,” Plock shared, per Fox 12 Oregon.
Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office
A photo of a Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office vehicle
Plock also said that the hiker’s 73-year-old father attempted to take matters into his own hands after receiving the call from his son, according to KOIN.
“The dad got on his phone, brought up the map. He could see his son’s location on the map. And just from the map on his phone, he was given his son trying to help his son navigate his way down, and he lost connection,” Plock shared, per the outlet. “The dad tried to reconnect with the son on the phone.”
“Got in his car, drove out here with a flashlight, and went up the trails looking for his son,” the officer added. “I’ve spoken to the dad. He fell a couple of times, some dirt and blood on his pants. He wanted to come to find his son.”
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Plock urged hikers to call 911 straight away if they ever get lost.
“He called his dad instead, and I get that,” the officer said, according to Fox 12 Oregon. “But our message to people when you find yourself lost up here on the trails in the Columbia [River] Gorge, we want you to call 911, stop, stay where you are and we will come and find you. We’re very good at it.”
The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office and the Multnomah County Medical Examiner’s Office didn’t immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information.
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