"He was just here a couple of weeks. He said this was the best two weeks in his life. He loved being here in Maui," said David Courson, director of Calvary Chapel Bible College, South Maui.

On Friday, police identified the victim as Geoff Wiegand of Silverton, Ore. He was beginning his first semester at the Bible college in Kihei.

Lt. John Jakubczak of the Criminal Investigation Division said an autopsy is scheduled for Monday.

Fire officials said that Wiegand's body was recovered from a stream about 2 miles above Hana Highway on Thursday afternoon, after the man fell into a shallow pool at the bottom of a rock cliff and waterfall.

A fire rescue team was called after a companion called police dispatchers at 3 p.m. reporting that his friend had fallen into the pool.

The victim had been with others exploring what is called the "Commando Trail" above Kailua.

The men had initially attempted to climb down the cliffs to the pool but when they turned back, the victim slipped and fell, striking his head on the rocks before he slipped into the chest-high water, fire officials said.

Courson said Wiegand had been hiking with three men from the college Thursday afternoon when the incident occurred.

"Of course it was very difficult for them," Courson said about the men. "They watched him fall to his death."

Courson said the young men faced a tough decision whether or not to go after Wiegand, but if they had attempted to climb down, it "would have been very, very dangerous."

He said the men hiked out of the isolated area to get into an area where their cellular phones could work and they could call for help.

Thursday night an impromptu service was held for Wiegand and there was also a devotion time on Friday after classes were canceled, Courson said. Classes will resume on Monday, he said.

The college has 30 full-time students and is a four-semester program similar to Maui Community College, Courson said.

Wiegand had been living in the college's "dorms" at Southpointe in Kihei.

Courson said Wiegand loved to go snorkeling and going to the beach and surfing.

He said the men reported that before the incident, Thursday had been one of the best days of their lives.

The college and the church are praying for Wiegand, his family and for his friends, Courson said.

There are no services planned on Maui, but a memorial service is planned in Salem, Ore., on Feb. 2, he said. Instead of flowers, Wiegand's family wants to set up a scholarship fund in his memory, Courson said.

Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.