Florida man plummets to his death while hiking at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon

2 hours ago | Published by : Avinash Nandakumar

Miami,July6:A 20-year-old Florida man plummeted to his death Tuesday while hiking at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon, local media reports said.

Alec Chapman, a Crater Lake National Park supervisory ranger, said witnesses saw the hiker venture out to a rocky point along the rim of a collapsed volcano, which gave way while he was standing on it.

He fell 50 to 70 feet, according to the accounts.

Rangers in the park confirmed his death after reaching him.

Rangers rappelled down the cliff and confirmed the man had died, the release says. The incident is under investigation.

“Park staff reminds visitors that climbing or hiking within the caldera is prohibited due to extremely hazardous conditions encountered inside the collapsed volcano,” the release says. “Patches of late snow can also contribute to hazards in the caldera and on other high elevation slopes. The majority of the higher elevation hiking trails are still partially or fully snow-covered and should be avoided.”

Patches of snow still remain in the park, the release says, adding that “hikers on back country trails may encounter patches of snow, fallen trees and other debris well into July and August.”

Park officials said hiking along the rim of the collapsed volcano is extremely dangerous and prohibited.

Over 300 million people visit national parks across the country every year, according to the National Park Service website.