A hiker was killed and another injured after a cliff collapsed in Point Reyes National Seashore.
The Arch Rock overlook, popular with hikers, crumbled into the sea sometime before 6 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. The collapse sent the two hikers down a 70-foot drop, with the surviving individual suffering non-life threatening but serious injuries. "Obviously there is a tragedy and one person didn't survive, but one person did and hopefully this won't happen again, a spokesman with the National Park Service told the Chronicle.
Park rangers had placed warning signs advising visitors to stay off the crumbling bluff just three days before the collapse, after giant fissures began forming in the ground.
The area remains closed with the due to the possibility of further erosion or collapse. The overlook is accessible via the 8.2-mile Bear Valley Trail, and is a well known spot for its spectacular views of the ocean. Hours before the incident, another hiker spotted dozens of people on the overlook, ignoring the warnings from the signs. "It was clear no one should be on that rock with the huge fissure," said Karen Blasing.