Woman, 28, dies in 200-foot plunge from cliff during sunrise hike with her husband in Wyoming
- Callie Aust, 28, died on Tuesday during sunrise hike at Steamboat Point
- Her husband Luke called 911 at 5.50am after racing to find cell phone service
- Husband joined the rescue search which discovered Callie dead at 7.15am
- Investigators say that there are no indications of foul play in the case
Callie Aust, 28, fell to her death on Tuesday in Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains
A woman has died after plunging from a 200-foot cliff in Wyoming during a hike with her husband, in what investigators believe was a tragic accident.
Callie Aust, 28, fell to her death on Tuesday during an early-morning hike to see the sunrise from Steamboat Point in the Bighorn Mountains, the Sheridan County Sheriff’s office said.
Callie’s husband Luke Aust rushed to find cell phone reception, and called 911 to request assistance at approximately 5.50am, authorities said.
After leaving the scene of his wife’s fall, Luke was unable to pinpoint exactly where she might be, but joined the search party, which made a tragic discovery at about 7.15am.
Callie’s husband Luke Aust (with her above) rushed to find cell phone reception, and called 911 to request assistance at approximately 5.50am, authorities said
Officials say that Steamboat Point has unstable cliff edges and loose rocks. ‘Standing or sitting near or on the edge of cliff faces is very risky, no matter the location,’ one warned
The search party found Callie’s body at the base of the southwest side of Steamboat Point.
‘At this point in the investigation, there are no indications of foul play and the death is being considered accidental,’ the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
Callie and Luke married in 2014, and were frequently active outdoors, according to social media posts. He is a hospital pharmacist and she worked for a Christian non-profit that runs an online marketplace to benefit victims of sex trafficking.
Steamboat Point is an abandoned fire lookout with a pipe railing located near the lookout’s concrete footers, a Bighorn National Forest spokesperson said.
‘It is not a safe barrier, but merely a remnant of the lookout tower,’ spokesperson Sara Kirol told The Sheridan Press, saying there are no specific safety measures at the place where Callie fell.
‘Cliff edges are unstable and there are a lot of loose rocks on the top of these high places,’ Kirol said. ‘Standing or sitting near or on the edge of cliff faces is very risky, no matter the location.’
Callie and Luke married in 2014, and were frequently active outdoors, according to social media posts. He is a hospital pharmacist and she worked for a Christian non-profit that runs an online marketplace to benefit victims of sex trafficking
The ongoing investigation is being led by the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance from the Wyoming Highway Patrol and Bighorn National Forest Service Law Enforcement.
The Sheridan County Coroner’s Office is conducting an independent investigation.
Callie’s employer Bought Beautifully posted an emotional tribute following her death, calling the young woman ‘a dynamic and entirely singular individual.’
‘Her life was a literal example of living out love…she did this exceptionally well, shining God’s love and truth through her everyday actions with deep conviction and focused intention,’ the tribute said.
‘She loved her family with every ounce of her being…she was everyone’s biggest fan, a ready listener and wise counselor,’ it added.
A memorial service for Callie will be held on June 23 at Sheridan Weslyan Church.
Burial will follow immediately in the Juniper Heights section of Sheridan Municipal Cemetery.