WSU grad fell from same rocky Palouse Falls ledge

A recent Washington State University graduate who fell from a cliff into the water above Palouse Falls this week was about to start a new life.

Noble Stoneman was heading to his mom's home to Yakima this weekend to celebrate his college graduation and his 26th birthday on Sunday.

But Thursday he was hiking on an unmarked trail at Palouse Falls State Park when he walked to a ledge above the upper pool of the state waterfall.

The ledge crumbled and he fell 50 to 100 feet into the water.

Columbia Basin Dive Rescue workers tried searching above the falls for a couple hours Thursday night but because of the dangerous water conditions, the search was called off.

The Naches Valley High grad's Facebook page showed his love of the outdoors, including several photos of waterfalls.

Stoneman also shared many pictures of his brother and two sisters. He was the oldest.

He was young but he took responsibility for his life, said his mother, Ruth Drollinger.

She said he worked to get enough scholarships and grants so that he had just $3,500 in student debt as he was leaving WSU Pullman.

He earned his degree in electrical engineering and had an interest in power distribution grids.

"He drove a car that had 200,000 miles on it. He never lavished on himself," she told the Herald. "He was humble and a hard worker. He wanted to get along with everybody."

Stoneman fell at the same spot where another hiker fell to his death last Memorial Day, Franklin County Undersheriff Dan McCary said Friday. Stoneman was with a friend who called 911.

The state has posted warning signs in the past telling hikers about the dangers of walking on unapproved trails.

It is the fourth death in three years at the park, coming less than three weeks after a Colville man drowned below the falls while swimming.

The park had just reopened a week ago and was closed again Thursday.

Washington State Parks already had planned another look at safety at Palouse Falls State Park in Franklin County after the April drowning.

After Palouse Falls — a spectacular 198-foot drop over a basalt rock channel — was named the state waterfall in 2014, the park's popularity dramatically increased.

The state maintains a half-mile of trails at the park, but unofficial trails along the steep cliffs tempt some visitors to try for a closer look.

This story was originally published May 11, 2018 at 8:16 AM with the headline "WSU grad fell from same rocky Palouse Falls ledge."