Teen dies in 25-foot fall while hiking national park with friends, Maine rangers say

A teenager died after a fall at Maine’s Acadia National Park, officials said.

While hiking with friends April 14, a 17-year-old boy fell about 25 feet near Otter Cliff, a rocky seaside precipice, according to an Acadia National Park news release.

First responders, including park rangers and local officials, arrived at the scene around noon and attempted life-saving measures but were unsuccessful.

Mount Desert Island Search and Rescue, a nonprofit that assists the National Park Service, helped recover the body.

“The National Park Service reported the incident to the Maine Office of Chief Medical Examiner, which is charged with the investigation of unexpected deaths,” park officials said in the news release.

The boy was identified as Bryce Basso, a student at Brewer High School, according to the Bangor Daily News, citing an email from school officials.

“Please keep Bryce and his family in your thoughts and prayers as we support and take care of one another in this time of loss,” an email addressed to the school community said, according to the outlet.

A park spokesperson told McClatchy News on April 14 that the park is investigating the incident and no further information is available.

Otter Cliff is a popular climbing area in the park that offers “a spectacular setting for sea cliff climbing not commonly available elsewhere,” according to the National Park Service.

Two hikers died in the park in 2021 after falling 100 feet down an icy cliff, according to the Associated Press.

Acadia National Park encompasses about 50,000 acres of land along the coast of Maine, according to the National Park Service. Over 4 million people visit every year.

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