This undated photo provided by the Multnomah County Sheriff’s office shows Devin Paez, a firefighter from Austin Texas.
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One of the hikers tried to catch up with him but was unsuccessful.
It was there that they said Paez chose to head back down ahead of the group, leaving his gear behind, the sheriff’s office said.
Authorities say a man who died in a fall from a trail Friday in the gorge was not the missing Texas hiker.
Deputies from the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office and a search and rescue coordinator checked roads in the area in case he had come out a different trailhead. He left his backpack with the rest of the group when he headed down.
The group waited at the trail head and called police when night fell and Paez was still nowhere to be seen.
Rescue teams searched roughly 20 miles of trails overnight and were to keep looking until at least Saturday.
Portland Mountain Rescue, Pacific Northwest, Washington County and additional teams from Multnomah County Search and Rescue on scene assisting as is Mountain Wave Communications.
Alexander said the death appears to be accident, but the detectives and a medical examiner will investigate.
The Larch Mountain trails near the Columbia River Gorge are visited by more than a million people each year, said Capt. Steve Anderson with the Multnomah County sheriff’s office.
According to his Facebook page, Paez was a rookie firefighter who completed his academy and probationary training in May.
Thousands of people hike at the Gorge each year, and it’s not that unusual for someone to get lost.
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It’s important to research your route before going on a hike, Alexander said. “You can get easily turned around”.
