San Jose man who went missing on hike is found dead at ocean’s edge

A San Jose man who had become separated from his wife on a trail was found dead by another hiker, emergency officials in Oregon reported.

Richard Ehrhart, 69, went missing on the afternoon of Sunday, April 21, while walking on a coastal trail near Natural Bridges, north of Brookings, said a report from the Curry County Sheriff’s Office.

When Ehrhart’s wife couldn’t find him, she returned to their car to wait, she later told police.

Around 2:35 p.m., a caller told Brookings police that he had seen a person lying motionless on the rocks below the trail. A rescue crew from the Curry County Sheriff’s Office rappelled 300 feet down the steep slope and discovered Ehrhart’s body. A chaplain was called for his wife.

Viewing areas in the Natural Bridges area are a short, easy walk from parking along Highway 101, but steep terrain presents a hazard to off-trail hikers.