An experienced 30-year-old hiker, Caroline Meister, was found dead at the base of a waterfall in the Ventana Wilderness of the Los Padres National Forest, California.
The discovery was made by a search and rescue team from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office on Friday, March 22 following a days-long search operation initiated after Meister did not return from a day hike that began on Monday, March 18.
Meister, an employee and resident at the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in Carmel Valley, was reported missing when she failed to return from her hiking trip along the “Windcave Trail.” The search and rescue operation involved high-angle searches off the Tassajara “Cut-Off” trail, where her body was eventually found at the base of a 150-foot waterfall.
The circumstances of her fall are believed to be accidental, with injuries consistent with a significant fall.
Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto addressed the press, stating that the death appeared to be an accident, with no suspicion of foul play. The operation to locate Meister was extensive, involving rappelling down steep cliffs to reach the site where she was discovered.
Despite her experience and familiarity with the area, Meister was not prepared for an overnight stay in the wilderness, carrying only snacks and wearing teal boots with a blue bag. Her father, John Meister, described her as an avid hiker who knew the area well.
Heather Ianrusso, the director of the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, reflected on Meister’s character, emphasizing her kindness, gentleness, and the deep void her absence leaves in the community.
The landscape of Ventana Wilderness features sharply rising ridges and narrow valleys shaped in a V form. The area’s watercourses swiftly descend through tight canyons with steep, rock walls, cascading over solid bedrock or rolling over a thin layer of boulders. Among the rugged terrain are waterfalls, thermal springs, and deep pools within the primary streams. The elevation within the wilderness spans from approximately 600 feet, where the Big Sur River exits the area, to around 5,750 feet near the boundary adjacent to Junipero Serra Peak.
The official cause of death is pending determination by the coroner.