— A Cary man died Sunday while rock-climbing with friends at Hanging Rock State Park, officials said Tuesday.

Eric Metcalf, 19, was rappelling off a portion of the park in Stokes County known as Moore's Wall at about 7:30 p.m. when he fell 270 feet, said Charlie Peek, spokesman for the state Division of Parks and Recreation.

His body was recovered about an hour later, Peek said.

The incident remains under investigation, Peek said, but he said it's possible officials will never determine why Metcalf, who was an experienced climber, fell.