Illinois Man ID’d As Hiker Fatally Injured At Kaaterskill Falls In New York

HUNTER, NY — An Illinois resident died while hiking at Kaaterskill Falls in the Catskill Mountains in New York on Friday.

State police identified the victim as Jack Wersching, 70, of Park Ridge, Illinois.

Police responded to Kaaterskill Falls on Laurel House Road around 6:16 p.m. on Friday for a report of an injured hiker.

According to police, a preliminary investigation revealed that Wersching had been hiking when he fell from a rock ledge onto the stone steps of the trail below.

Emergency personnel conducted life-saving measures, but Wersching was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

The investigation is ongoing.

According to the Kaaterskill Falls’ visitor website, the site is a popular tourist destination. It urges visitors to be cautious, noting how multiple people have fallen to their deaths there over the years.