A 46-year-old mother from Cartersville died Tuesday when she fell more than 300 feet from the side of Yonah Mountain in White County. Jennifer Randel was hiking with her husband and young son when she fell from the mountain’s rock face. She died instantly, according to Deputy White County Coroner Josh Barrett.
Officials say the family was familiar with the area, as they had hiked there several times before. “This is one of those tragic accidents that can occur while hiking in the trail areas of our county,” says White County Public Safety Director David Murphy.
Multiple EMS and fire personnel used a rope system on treacherous terrain to recover Randel’s body. The entire operation took five hours to complete.
The White County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources are investigating the incident.
Yonah Mountain, more commonly referred to as Mount Yonah, is located five miles northeast of Cleveland and is a popular tourist destination in Northeast Georgia. Three people have died in falls off the rock face in the past 15 years.
The coroner’s office has updated the spelling of the victim’s last name. This article has been updated to reflect that correction.
