Man falls to his death while hiking with wife along Oregon coast

A California man has died aft falling 300 feet during a hike pinch his woman successful Oregon, officials said successful a news release. 

Richard Ehrhart, 69, was hiking nan Natural Bridges coastal way successful Oregon's Curry County pinch his wife, Susan Kimura, connected Sunday. The 2 separated connected nan trail, nan sheriff's agency said, and Kimura returned to nan couple's car. 

It's not clear what led to Ehrhart's fall. 

The Curry County Sheriff's Office said that it received a telephone from a personification who reported seeing personification who appeared to beryllium deceased connected nan rocks beneath nan way astatine astir 2:35 p.m. section time. Deputies from nan Curry County Sheriff's Office arrived connected nan scene, arsenic good arsenic an Oregon State Trooper. Members of nan sheriff's agency hunt and rescue squad were called to nan scene, nan news merchandise said, and 2 squad members rappelled down to wherever Ehrhart had fallen. 

The hunt and rescue squad members, arsenic good arsenic different officials who were connected nan scene, carried Ehrhart's assemblage backmost to nan trail, wherever he was identified. 

Recovery efforts underway astatine Oregon's Natural Bridges.  Curry County Sheriff's Office

A chaplain was called to nan segment to thief pass Kimura of her husband's death, nan sheriff's agency said. 

An investigation into nan autumn led by nan Oregon State Police is underway, nan sheriff's agency said. 

The sheriff's agency said that nan incident should service arsenic a reminder of nan "dangers of hiking nan coastal trails," and warned imaginable hikers to beryllium safe successful nan area. 

The coastal way is an easy hike, according to AllTrails.com, which categorizes and provides hiking instructions for trails nationwide, and provides views of arched rocks complete nan ocean. However, nan area has "steep cliffs" and it's recommended that hikers ever enactment connected marked trails and viewpoint areas, nan tract says.  

The position from nan Natural Bridges Viewpoint successful Oregon. / Getty Images

In:
• Hiker
• Death
• Oregon