A Portland hiker was found dead Monday morning under a waterfall on a tributary of the Washougal River.
Just before 3 p.m. Sunday, the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office was notified about an emergency locator beacon and got the GPS coordinates. A deputy met with Thomas Pelham, 35, of Vancouver near Prospector Creek, a tributary of the Washougal River. Pelham said he couldn’t find his hiking partner, Shawn Kenline, 39, of Portland, after the pair got separated while taking pictures in the area.Wind River Search and Rescue and Portland Mountain Rescue helped the sheriff’s office search for Pelham. The search was suspended at 1:42 a.m. Sunday because of the rough conditions.
After resuming the search Monday, the county’s dive rescue team found Kenline’s body just before 11 a.m. underneath Prospector Creek Falls.The body was transported to the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office, which will determine the cause of death.
