#DEVELOPING Natl. Park Service says victim in cliff fall was a 67 yr old male who was trying to rescue his dog. #abc7now pic.twitter.com/z3DUuCcjMQ — Laura Anthony (@LauraAnthony7) February 19, 2018 
 
 #BREAKING Someone has died after fall from cliff near Thornton Beach. Family member or friend has victim’s dog. pic.twitter.com/txAmlCEfcS — Laura Anthony (@LauraAnthony7) February 19, 2018 
 
 #DEVELOPING @sanmateoco Coroner’s van has arrived to transport body of man who died after falling from cliff near #ThorntonBeach #abc7now pic.twitter.com/nDXooGu0tz — Laura Anthony (@LauraAnthony7) February 19, 2018 
 
 It was an idyllic but cold holiday morning near Daly City's Thornton Beach, the kind of morning that draws families and dog walkers to the coast. But just after 11:30 a.m., one man's attempt to save his dog cost him his life.The National Park Service confirms the 67-year-old man was trying to get to his stranded dog, which had made its way part way down a cliff, just west of Skyline Drive.But then he slipped and fell as many as 500 feet to his death.Firefighters had to race to beat the high tide to get to the man, but it was too late.While a California Highway Patrol helicopter lifted firefighters and the man's body from the area, his family members arrived to retrieve the dogs and console one another, clearly devastated by what had happened.The area is just south of Thornton Beach and west of Daly City's Palisades Park, a popular area for dog walkers and families, but also one that can be as dangerous as it is beautiful."Stay on the trails, especially I mean the ice plants will be slippery with the moisture," said Rath Skallion. "That's why I can see someone slipping on the edge."The CHP helicopter with the man's body touched down in a parking lot near Thornton Beach and the body was then transferred to a San Mateo County Coroner's van.The Park Service warns people not to try to retrieve stranded dogs by themselves, saying the dog often survives, while the person might not. ||||| DALY CITY, Calif. – A heartbreaking recovery unfolded at Thornton State Beach Monday after a 67-year-old man fell down a 500-foot cliff while he was trying to rescue his dog. CBS San Francisco reports the Golden Gate National Park ranger said the man's dog got away from him, and when he tried to go after it he slipped to his death. 
 
 Long after the fatal fall, the man's dog continued pacing and barking on a perch, as is if to sense something was wrong. 
 
 CBS San Francisco 
 
 "The dog knows if you are hurt and sometimes with the cliff they get overstimulated and don't know all the facts," says dog walker Kyle Moreno. 
 
 This is a popular area for dog walkers. Tedd Leblanc of Daly City and his friends were out hiking Monday. He says the terrain is steep. 
 
 "Sometimes things can move around. You gotta be careful. Always be on alert because rocks can tumble" 
 
 Rescuers airlifted the man's body from the bottom of the cliff. 
 
 Later they helped the dog get back up the steep cliff and gave it to the victim's family. 
 
 Park rangers say there are no leash laws in place, but advise dogwalkers to put their animals on a leash or make sure they respond to voice control. 
 
 The area is home to beautiful scenic trails but it is very steep.
– The death of a 67-year-old man in Golden Gate National Recreation Area has California park officials reiterating a warning: When a dog gets stranded on a cliff, leave him be. Chances are, the dog will return to safety, while would-be rescuers risk their lives, reports ABC7. In this case, the victim slipped and fell about 500 feet to his death when trying to retrieve his dog, who'd wandered partway down a cliff, reports CBS San Francisco. Rescuers got to the victim before high tide rolled in but couldn't save him.