Arizona Hiker's Ultimate Outdoor Selfie Leads to Sudden Death

An Arizona hiker fell hundreds of feet to his death after he slipped while trying to take a selfie on a mountain peak on Monday.

According to Daily Mail, the body of Richard Jacobson, 21, of Mesa, Arizona, was recovered after his unidentified companion called 911 at around 12:45 a.m. Monday.

Jacobson was reportedly camping with his friend on top of the Superstition Mountains Flatiron in Lost Dutchman State Park, some 40 miles east of Phoenix, this week.

Arizona Hiker Falling to Death

In a statement, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said the Arizona hiker had gone to the mountain's edge to take a selfie when he slipped.

Sergeant Doug Peoble of the Pinal County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue told AZFamily that Jacobson lost his footing, slipped, and fell while trying to take a selfie with the city skyline in the background.

The police officer noted that they did not find any signs of foul play or drug use during their investigation. He said it was "just a very tragic accident."

The sheriff's office noted that the young Arizona hiker was immediately pronounced dead at the scene after he fell about 700 feet off the mountain's edge.

An Arizona Department of Public Safety Ranger helicopter aided to recover Jacobson's body. His friend was also flown from the campsite. No other details about the incident have been released.

AllTrails, a hiking review website, noted that one of the most popular ways to visit the Flatiron Peak is through a 5.5-mile hike on the Siphon Draw Trail.

However, it was unclear whether Jacobson took this route, but a description on the website said there had been several rock slides in the area, according to People.

The hiking review website noted that the hike takes about four hours to complete and is open year-round, with one reviewer saying that it was "not for the faint of heart."

Other Hikers' Deaths

In September 2020, three hikers, with two who were rock climbing at the time, died in six days in the White Mountains in New Hampshire, The New York Times reported.

After being rescued in November 2020, a woman in California, who was missing for two days on Mount Whitney in California, died from her injuries.

A California family of three was found dead on a hike after they were killed by extreme heat last August. The Guardian reported that the California family was hiking in Sierra national forest and was killed by extreme heat and possible dehydration.

The family was found dead in August, but it was only in October that authorities found the details surrounding their death.

Jeremy Briese, the Mariposa County sheriff, said that heat-related deaths are extremely difficult to investigate.

No signs of cause of death were immediately clear when officials found the bodies. The sheriff's department described the case of the California family as unusual and unique.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Hiker Falls off Flatiron Summit, Dies After Trying to Take a Photo at the Trail's Edge - From FOX 10 Phoenix