Home / Disasters and Accidents / Dramatic Rescue: Stranded Climbers Plucked From Big Sur Ravine
Dramatic Rescue: Stranded Climbers Plucked From Big Sur Ravine
26 Aug
Summary
- Two climbers were stranded 600 feet below a Big Sur cliffside.
- A California Highway Patrol helicopter crew performed the daring rescue.
- Both climbers survived the difficult extraction from the steep terrain.
Two individuals were successfully rescued from a perilous situation on a steep Big Sur cliffside, finding themselves stranded approximately 600 feet below the roadway. The California Highway Patrol's H-70 helicopter crew executed the daring operation on Saturday evening, responding to a request from Big Sur Fire.
The terrain presented extreme challenges, with the rescue technician needing to be lowered via hoist to reach the stranded climbers. Due to the steepness, the first climber was secured in a rescue harness and lifted together with the technician.
The helicopter then returned to the ravine to perform the same maneuver for the second climber. Both individuals were brought to a staging area and survived the incident without reported injuries. This rescue followed other challenging missions for the same air unit earlier in the week.
In separate incidents on August 9, the H-70 crew assisted in hoisting a person from a fall and rescued another individual suffering severe injuries in Big Sur Gorge. The crew also performed a hover step-on maneuver to rescue a hunter with a medical condition in Los Padres National Forest.
