Portland man dies in Alaska after hiking accident

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A Portland man who had been hiking in Alaska when he became injured last week has died.  The body of Heath Didier, 49, was recovered June 16 near Ketchikan, Alaska after a two-day search effort.  Alaska State Troopers said they learned Didier was missing from a notification he sent at 10:24 p.m. on June 14. In it, he said he was lost in the area of Deer Mountain Trail. He said he was cold and not equipped with water, food, proper clothing or other survival gear. The Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad began looking for Didier from the Silvis Lake Trail but were unable to locate him on foot. At 9:40 a.m. June 15, they used a helicopter to search his last known location and found a deceased man believed to be Didier.  The body was partially submerged in water at the bottom of a cliff, and was unable to be recovered until the following day. Didier’s remains were transported to the state medical examiner’s office for an autopsy. According to Alaska Public Media, Didier told troopers he intended to hike to Blue Lake and return, but the weather conditions deteriorated and he was out much longer than anticipated. Didier had reportedly picked up a locator beacon from the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau before setting out on the hike, which is what helped rescuers find him. The troopers said they tried to get Ketchikan back on the trail using the beacon, a compass and his phone but lost contact. They believe his phone died. Didier reportedly appeared to have fallen from a cliff about 400 yards from the intersection of two trails. In a post shared on Facebook, the Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad said their thoughts are with the family, friends, and all those affected by the loss. "Rapidly changing weather, difficult terrain, limited visibility, and exposure can quickly turn an outing into an emergency. Remember to study your plans, carefully assess conditions, carry appropriate gear, and communicate plans and backup plans with others," they said.