Missing hiker found dead from apparent fall

A 59-year-old Eureka man who had been missing for five days was found dead Sunday afternoon.

Lake County Sheriff Don Bell confirmed that William Hendrix died after he apparently lost his footing and fell off a small cliff. He was headed for Thunderbolt Mountain on the Swan Crest.

“It looks from his injuries that it was from the fall,” Bell said.

Hendrix was found on Sunday afternoon after a five-day search. Bell said Hendrix was off the trail and in a rugged area.

Hendrix left for a hike at 5 a.m. on Aug. 11. He failed to return that evening and was reported missing.

His pickup truck was found at the North Lost Creek Trailhead.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Swan Mission Search and Rescue, North Valley Search and Rescue and Two Bear Air Rescue aided in the search effort.

On Friday, Jan Hendrix told the Daily Inter Lake that her husband was a registered nurse and an avid outdoorsman. He was familiar with the area and had been there before.

The official cause of death is still under investigation, and an autopsy is being performed in Missoula.

Reporter Matt Hudson may be reached at 758-4459 or by email at mhudson@dailyinterlake.com.