A woman fell to her death Saturday afternoon, March 17, while rock climbing near a waterfall off Ortega Highway in the Cleveland National Forest.

A man who was with her called authorities for help at about 12:30 p.m. near the Blue Jay Campground, said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Paul Holaday.

“They were climbing and they were getting ready to rappel down this waterfall,” he said. “He turned around … next thing he heard was some clanking and her falling.”

Holaday estimated the fall was about 200 feet.

Investigators were on scene, about four miles west of Lake Elsinore, during the rescue that took hours because the area was not easily accessible on the ground and there were no hiking trails. The fallen woman was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Helicopters crews were able to hoist up the deceased woman and her partner — who were experienced hikers and had appropriate gear — who was still on the mountain when he called for help.

Details about what led to the woman’s fall or information about her identity were not available.

The accident was reported along the Orange County/Riverside County border. Ortega Highway, also called State Route 74, links San Juan Capistrano and Lake Elsinore.