A Beaverton hiker who was missing in the Columbia River Gorge was found dead around 5 p.m. Wednesday, the local sheriff said.

Authorities think Melvin Burtch, 31, fell almost 700 vertical feet from the summit of Table Mountain in Washington's Skamania County, Sheriff Dave Brown said in a news release. Searchers found his body at the base of the mountain.

Burtch texted a photo — apparently from atop the mountain — to a friend at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Brown said. That was the last time anyone heard from him.

Brown said searchers found Burtch's body using GPS coordinates for his cell phone. Authorities are set to begin efforts to recover his body Thursday morning.

Bonneville Hot Springs Resort & Spa employees saw his unoccupied car and two dogs — who belong to Burtch's friend — at a trailhead Wednesday morning, Brown said. Burtch had taken the dogs on a day hike Tuesday.

Authorities launched efforts to find him around 8 a.m. Wednesday, Brown said.

Authorities have suspended the search for missing hiker Anna Schmidt. There are no signs of foul play related to her disappearance, police said.

Table Mountain stands at 3,417 feet, according to the Washington Trails Association.

"The top features one of the best panoramas of the Columbia River Gorge, as well as views of Mt. St. Helens, Rainier, Hood and Adams," the trails association says in a hike description. "Carry a guidebook with good route information as there are a couple of options to the summit and signage may be lacking."