MULTNOMAH COUNTY, Ore. (KGW) — A father of five from Beaverton died after falling from a hiking trail at Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge Saturday afternoon, according to the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).
Gerardo Hernandez-Rodriguez, 41, was hiking on the trail beyond the Benson Bridge near the first switchback when he stumbled and fell down an embankment around 1:30 p.m., witnesses said. The group the man was with reported that they lost sight of him after he fell, according to MCSO.
Sheriff’s deputies, the Corbett Fire District and a U.S. Forest Service ranger searched for the man. Due to the “inaccessible” and steep terrain, Gresham police were called in to operate a drone, MCSO said. A deputy searched the base of the cliff on the south side of the Historic Columbia River Highway, directly below the area that Hernandez-Rodriguez fell, and found him.
It took rescuers about an hour to get to him. Hernandez-Rodriguez died from injuries from the fall, MCSO said.
Deputies initially believed that Hernandez-Rodriguez fell 100-150 feet, but an investigation showed that he fell nearly 200 feet, the sheriff’s office said on Monday.
MCSO said alcohol impairment was likely a factor in his fall. The agency reminded others to make sure to be safe on the trails.
“This isn’t just going on a walk, this is a trail, this is a hiking trail, and so we encourage people to come prepared for an actual hike, it’s not a paved walk. it’s a hike,” said John Plock with MCSO.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.