A man falls to his death while hiking a trail near Ashland

ASHLAND, Ore. – A man fell to his death while hiking on a trail northeast of Ashland, Wednesday night. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office search and rescue tactical rope rescue team recovered the man’s body at the base of a steep cliff.

Wednesday, just after eight, dispatch received a call from a woman reporting a man had fallen from the Lost Falls trail. The woman had to hike to another location to obtain cell phone coverage to call 911. JCSO deputies responded with personnel from Ashland Fire & Rescue and Mercy Flights. The man was found dead in the water at the base of a 100-foot cliff.

The victim was identified as Michael Kent Brewster, 63, of Medford. His family has been notified of his death.

JCSO SAR returned Thursday morning and recovered Brewster’s body during daylight hours. An investigator with the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office accompanied SAR during the recovery effort. The cause and manner of death are still under investigation. Stay with NBC5 News for more on this developing story.