Body of Missing Hiker, 61, Found at Bottom of Oregon Cliff After Not Returning from Solo Trip

David Chiu

18 March 2024 at 11:59 am·2-min read

The deceased victim was discovered near Horsetail Falls, according to the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office

<p>Greg Vaughn /VW PICS/Universal Images Group via Getty</p> View from trail behind Ponytail Falls (a.k.a. Upper Horsetail Falls) — Greg Vaughn /VW PICS/Universal Images Group via Getty
View from trail behind Ponytail Falls (a.k.a. Upper Horsetail Falls)

A friend of the victim reported her missing Friday evening after she didn’t return from a solo hike
Officials said that the woman did not have a cellphone, which made finding her difficult
The victim’s body is in the custody of the medical examiner, who will determine the cause of death

The body of a missing 61-year-old female hiker was found Saturday at the bottom of a cliff near Horsetail Falls in Oregon, authorities said.

In a news release shared with PEOPLE on Monday, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) said a friend of the unnamed woman reported her missing at about 10 p.m. local time on Friday after she did not return from a scheduled solo hike at Oneonta Falls.

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Authorities added that the caller said that the victim’s car was located in the parking lot at the Horsetail Falls Trailhead.

Officials with the MCSO and the Gresham Police Department began their search throughout that evening, going on to note that drones were employed. The sheriff’s office said that the hiker didn’t carry a cellphone, so authorities weren’t able to determine her location via cell tower pings.

In addition to drones and tracking dogs, there were over 50 people on the ground searching for the hiker by Saturday morning.

“At approximately 12:30 p.m., the missing hiker was found at the bottom of a cliff near Horsetail Falls Trailhead,” the MCSO said in its news release. “E Old Historic Columbia Highway was closed, briefly, in both directions so that the deceased hiker’s remains could be safely recovered.

“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 until next of kin notifications are completed.”

According to a description from the U.S. Forest Service website: “Named for its characteristic form, Horsetail Falls plunges 176 feet within view of the Historic Columbia River Highway's ‘Waterfall Corridor.’ ”

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