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17-year-old hiker dies after 30-foot fall at Falls Creek

Jul 1, 2025, 5:15 PM

Falls Creek 17 year old hiker...

A photo of the Falls Creek waterfall. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service)

(Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service)

A 17-year-old woman hiker died after a fall at the Falls Creek Falls waterfall, a popular hiking area north of Carson, Washington.

The hiker, from Happy Valley, Oregon, reportedly fell roughly 30 feet into Falls Creek at approximately 1:20 p.m. on Friday.

17-year-old hiker dies at Falls Creek Falls

Skamania County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) received a 911 text message and dispatched an SCSO Search and Rescue coordinator to the location.

Resources were allocated from Skamania County Emergency Medical Services, and volunteers from SCSO Search and Rescue, Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, Crag Rats, Skamania County Fire District 1, and Skamania County Fire District 2.

The woman was extracted from the creek and transported by an ambulance to a Life Flight helicopter waiting nearby.

However, the hiker later succumbed to her injuries at a Portland hospital.

The hike to the waterfall is a 3.4-mile round trip with an elevation gain of 750 feet.

“The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office extends our deepest sympathies to the hiker’s family during this tragic loss,” SCSO stated.

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17-year-old hiker dies after 30-foot fall at Falls Creek