An 84-year-old hiker has died in the German Alps after falling about 100 meters (328 feet) from a mountain ridge, police said Saturday.

The man is believed to have lost his balance while climbing up the western flank of the Brecherspitz, a peak near the border with Austria.

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Emergency services were dispatched to the area after another hiker came across the man's trekking poles and hat and called the police.

A helicopter later located the man's body.

Police say the 84-year-old was from the Munich area and had set off on his walk early Friday morning.

The 1,685-meter Brecherspitz is a popular hiking spot for day-trippers from southern Bavaria.

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