A vantage point at the Point Reyes National Seashore collapsed under the feet of two hikers just before six o’clock in the evening on Saturday. The sandstone bluff of a popular hiking trail in Northern California gave way due to a large fissure running through the cliff face.

The two unidentified hikers, both adults, fell nearly 70 feet to the rocky beach below and were covered with falling rocks and debris.

One hiker was pronounced dead at the scene. The other was airlifted by helicopter to a nearby hospital to be treated for life-threatening injuries.

The were many signs along the trail as well as at the visitor’s center warning of the cliff’s instability.

“The sandstone cliffs along the coastline at Point Reyes are inherently unstable and are prone to crumbling,” said John Dell’Osso,  a spokesman with the National Park Service. “Three days before the collapse, the park service posted numerous signs along the trail warning visitors about a fissure that had opened up along the bluff at the end of the trial.”

It is not known what the hikers were doing out on the dangerous bluff. However, there have been many reports of other people venturing out to that lookout point despite the warnings.

Officials have now completely closed the trail for fear of further crumbling.