34-Year-Old Va. Woman Found Dead in Glacier National Park After Going Missing on Hike

Jennifer Coleman Jennifer Coleman

A 34-year-old woman has been found dead less than a week after she went missing on a hike in a Montana, according to authorities.

The National Park Service confirmed in a press release that the body of Jennifer Coleman was discovered in Glacier National Park on Sunday, just four days after she was reported missing.

Park officials said Coleman, a resident of Richmond, Virginia, was found deceased "in a steep and rocky area near the Continental Divide" of the Montana park.

At this time, her cause of death remains unknown, and an investigation is underway, according to the National Park Service.

Coleman was first reported missing on Wednesday, with authorities noting that she was "believed to have been hiking around Logan Pass" on August 30 or August 31, the park service wrote in a tweet.

RELATED: Relatives of Calif. Family Who Mysteriously Died on Hiking Trail Don't Believe They Were Murdered

Later that day, a search for Coleman was launched after her vehicle was found by park officials in the Logan Pass parking lot, according to the press release.

The search continued through Sunday, with as many as 50 people involved, but it was sadly too late and Coleman's body was located that afternoon, park officials stated.

Park officials said rescuers would extract Coleman's body when weather conditions permit but noted that air operations had to be halted on Sunday due to high winds in the area.

"Glacier National Park would like to thank the public's response to the tip line," the press release stated. "Although the end result was not the one searchers hoped for, public tips were key to a faster resolution of the search."

Following news of Coleman's death, loved ones expressed their heartbreak and paid tribute to her on Facebook.

"Jennifer Coleman had a bubbly personality. She was one who could light up a room just by walking in," wrote The AWARE Foundation, an organization that promotes safety awareness and helps locate missing and endangered people.

RELATED VIDEO: Hiker Falls from Ledge and Dies One Day After Posting Dramatic Cliffside Instagram Photo

"This photo is of Jenn & her loved fur baby Ellie," the post continued. "Ellie crossed the rainbow bridge a few months ago & is now reunited with her human. Even though our world is a little darker without her, Jenn's spirit now makes heaven a little brighter. You will be missed & we will see you again one day."

In a follow-up post, the foundation released a statement on behalf of Coleman's father, Hal, who serves as the treasurer of the AWARE Foundation.

"Many thanks to everyone for the kind words, prayers, messages," Hal said, per the post. "People have been a blessing to us. We are thankful and appreciative to the bottom of our hearts. No words to describe the grief."

Friend Victoria Pacitto added in a separate post: "Thank you for your prayers. With deep regret, our dear friend Jennifer Coleman has been found and is no longer with us. My heart goes out to her family and friends. Until I see you again."