- A friend of the victim reported her missing on Friday evening after she did not return from a solo hike
- Officials said the woman did not have a cell phone, making it difficult to find her
- The victim’s body is undergoing an autopsy to determine the cause of death
The body of a missing 61-year-old hiker was found at the bottom of a cliff near Horsetail Falls in Oregon on Saturday, authorities said.
In a press release shared with PEOPLE on Monday, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) said a friend of the unnamed woman reported her missing around 10 p.m. local time Friday after she did not return from a planned solo hike to Oneonta Falls.
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Authorities added that the caller said the victim’s car was in the parking lot at the Horsetail Falls Trailhead.
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MCSO and Gresham Police Department officers began a search that evening, noting that drones had been used. The sheriff’s office said the hiker was not carrying a cell phone, so authorities were unable to determine her location through cell tower pings.
In addition to drones and sniffer dogs, by Saturday morning there were more than 50 people on the ground searching for the mountaineer.
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“At approximately 12:30 p.m., the missing hiker was found at the bottom of a cliff near the Horsetail Falls Trailhead,” MCSO said in its press release. “The old historic Columbia Highway was closed, briefly, in both directions so that the remains of the deceased hiker could be safely recovered.
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“The Medical Examiner’s Office responded and took custody of the hiker’s remains and will determine the official cause of death,” officials added. “The name of the deceased hiker is being withheld pending next of kin notification.”
According to a description from the US Forest Service website: “Named for its distinctive shape, Horsetail Falls falls 176 feet within views of the ‘Waterfall Corridor’ of the historic Columbia River Highway. ”
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Source: HIS Education