Tragic news just released

Use this forum to post links to news stories from other websites - ones that other hikers might find interesting. This is not intended for original material or anecdotal information. You can reply to any news stories posted, but do not start a new thread without a link to a specific news story.
Post Reply
User avatar
Don Nelsen
Posts: 4377
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA

Tragic news just released

Post by Don Nelsen » August 19th, 2022, 5:39 pm

Hiker dies after fall in the Columbia River Gorge (Photo) - 08/19/22
Around 1:15 p.m., on Friday, August 19, dispatchers received a report that a female hiker suffered a head injury after falling near Wiesendanger Falls in the Columbia River Gorge.

As firefighters from the Corbett Fire District and deputies from the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office were en-route, dispatchers provided an update that the injuries were life threatening and that bystanders had started CPR.

Corbett firefighters deployed from the Multnomah Falls Lodge and reached the hiker, approximately 1.3 miles from the trailhead. Firefighters pronounced the hiker deceased.

The Multnomah County Search & Rescue team has been activated to help the Medical Examiner’s Office recover of the hiker.

The woman was hiking with a group of friends on the Multnomah Falls-Larch Mountain Trail, #441. It is estimated the hiker fell approximately 100 feet.

TIPNW was dispatched to provide emotional support and mental health resources for those impacted by the hiker’s death.

The hiker will be identified at a later time, when next of kin notifications are complete.

Due to congestion, media is advised to use the Multnomah Falls parking lot off I-84 to access the area. A PIO is not responding to the incident.
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

User avatar
TJ_T
Posts: 765
Joined: July 23rd, 2011, 7:18 pm
Location: Portland, OR
Contact:

Re: Tragic news just released

Post by TJ_T » August 20th, 2022, 2:09 pm

So sad. Been a long time since I've been up there, but where is there a place to fall 100+ feet near Wisendanger?
I take pictures sometimes. And sometimes I post them here:
http://www.tjthornephotography.com
and
http://500px.com/TjThorne
and
https://www.facebook.com/tjthornephotography

squidvicious
Posts: 525
Joined: May 11th, 2015, 8:41 pm
Location: Troutdale

Re: Tragic news just released

Post by squidvicious » August 20th, 2022, 3:40 pm

I was imagining that she probably fell from the trail above Wiesendanger Falls. But as always it's worth noting that the "facts" in news reports about incidents on trails--location, distances, heights, etc--should be taken with the biggest of grains of salt. Quite a lot of things get reported as, "Hmm, maybe about 100 feet?"

I really hope there's some follow up with this one and we hear how it happened, because in addition to just the usual baseline of a "debriefing" making me feel more prepared with my own safety, the comments online of people making up their own scenarios have just been brutal. Which is weird, because this is one where it's really really easy to imagine how a fall might happen. You don't have to claim that someone must have jumped, or blah blah Darwin Awards, or went offtrail, or whatever else they're saying.

User avatar
Charley
Posts: 1834
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: Milwaukie

Re: Tragic news just released

Post by Charley » August 24th, 2022, 7:56 pm

squidvicious wrote:
August 20th, 2022, 3:40 pm
the comments online of people making up their own scenarios have just been brutal. Which is weird, because this is one where it's really really easy to imagine how a fall might happen. You don't have to claim that someone must have jumped, or blah blah Darwin Awards, or went offtrail, or whatever else they're saying.
After about 15 years of climbing at various levels of the sport, I still get a bit wigged out at some of the trailside dropoffs in the vicinity of Wiesendanger Falls. I like to look out over the edge, but I flag a trekking pole out on the downhill side and move slowly. It's entirely believable that a normal stumble could have horrific consequences in such a place. . . not to mention the possibility of the presence of other hikers, trail runners, leashed dogs, or unleashed dogs.

It's an unusually consequential place, for a trail.
Believe it or not, I barely ever ride a mountain bike.

User avatar
retired jerry
Posts: 14398
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: Tragic news just released

Post by retired jerry » August 25th, 2022, 6:06 am

"...Darwin Awards..."

Comments on websites can be terrible. Don't look at them. I haven't noticed that here.

I think people are just more interested in what lessons to learn to avoid a similar problem

User avatar
Don Nelsen
Posts: 4377
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA

Re: Tragic news just released

Post by Don Nelsen » August 25th, 2022, 8:39 am

UPDATE 8/22/22:

The Multnomah County Medical Examiner’s Officer has identified the deceased hiker as 62-year-old Jessica Warejoncas of Minnesota.

The manner of death is not considered suspicious.

The family is asking for privacy and does not want to be contacted by the media.
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

Aimless
Posts: 1922
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:02 pm
Location: Lake Oswego

Re: Tragic news just released

Post by Aimless » August 26th, 2022, 10:34 am

Charley wrote:
August 24th, 2022, 7:56 pm
After about 15 years of climbing at various levels of the sport, I still get a bit wigged out at some of the trailside dropoffs in the vicinity of Wiesendanger Falls.
The deceased woman was from Minnesota. It is hard to imagine any terrain that's less like the vicinity of Wiesendanger Falls. Even a brief lapse of attention, misjudgement, or distraction can get you in trouble. It's terrible that it lead to her death. :(

squidvicious
Posts: 525
Joined: May 11th, 2015, 8:41 pm
Location: Troutdale

Re: Tragic news just released

Post by squidvicious » September 16th, 2022, 1:31 pm

Because I like closure, or as much of it as we're likely to get:
https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2022/09 ... s-say.html

Best they've pieced together:
1. She actually fell in the switchbacks (???)
2. It was maybe half the height originally stated
3. She apparently tried to skirt around a patch of loose gravel and wound up losing her footing

Unfortunately the very misleading headline basically just states she went "off trail." And most people reacting didn't read any further than the headline.

Post Reply