Volunteer divers with the San Diego County Sheriff's Department found a body underwater in the middle pool of Three Sisters Falls in Julian on Monday, ending a four-day search for the missing hiker.
The body was found just before 1:30 p.m. Monday in the same area where the missing man was last seen on Friday.
For four days, personnel from various nearby agencies searched the area for the man, including deputies with the Alpine Sheriff's Station, Julian Sheriff's Substation, Sheriff's ASTREA helicopter, CAL FIRE and U.S. Forest Service.
Three Sisters Falls
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The water current had been too dangerous for divers to search underwater until Monday, according to the Sheriff's Department.
The department's reserve unit turned the body over to the Medical Examiner's Office just before 4 p.m. at the trailhead. The M.E. is working to identify the man and determine what caused his death, pending notification of his family.
Three Sisters Falls had been closed during the search, but U.S. Forest Service has now reopened it. The trail is extremely strenuous and not for beginner hikers. The Sheriff's Department strongly urges caution when hiking this trail.
Earlier in the month on June 8, a woman fell off a footpath to her death at Three Sisters Falls while trying to save a teenager who also fell, but survived.
The Sheriff's Search and Rescue (SAR) is an all-volunteer unit. They conduct wilderness and urban rescues, searching for missing and at-risk persons. Teams are available 24 hours per day to respond to local, state and federal agency requests. To learn more about SAR, visit: www.sdsheriff.gov/volunteer
