Hiker Hanged from Helicopter at 150 Feet Above Waterfall Crash in Northern California
Hiker Rescued from Waterfall Plunge in Butte County
A hiker who fell 30 feet down a waterfall and into a pool in Butte County needed to be extricated using a 150-foot rope and a helicopter over Memorial Day weekend, according to authorities.
The hiker, whose identity was not disclosed by authorities, sustained serious injuries and could not be reached by ambulance in time, as rescuers reported.
The mishap occurred while the hiker was hiking with companions near Feather River Canyon and Camp Creek Falls, close to the site of the 2018 Camp fire, as per authorities. The hiker attempted to snap a photo of the waterfall but slipped, leading to the fall.
The hiker landed onto granite rocks and plunged over the waterfall's edge, falling 30 feet into the pool below, according to Kevin Soukup, a spokesperson for Butte County Sheriff's Search and Rescue.
Upon arriving at the scene in Pulga, the rescue team spotted the hiker had sustained grievous injuries and opted to deploy a helicopter for the rescue mission.
Being conscious at the time, the injured man was secured in a harness and airlifted while attached to the helicopter with the 150-foot rope, Soukup detailed. The man was airlifted to a landing zone near Cresta Power House and subsequently transferred to Enloe FlightCare for further medical attention. The entire helicopter journey took between 30 seconds and a minute.
In a separate incident, a hiker on the edge of a cliff on the Pacific Crest Trail in Riverside County was rescued by a Riverside County sheriff's team. She was stranded approximately 20 to 30 feet from the plateau.
"This is among the riskiest types of rescues you perform," Soukup said. "Helicopters inherently pose danger, and rescuing someone suffering a traumatic injury necessitates carefully evaluating the risk and reward."
Given the road exiting the area was roughly three miles, an ambulance couldn't have reached the scene in time, Soukup added, highlighting that a helicopter was the preferred method whenever a traumatic injury presents and the journey exceeds a 30-minute drive.
The rescue operation was a joint effort with Cal Fire and Butte County Fire.
In California, helicopter rescues for hikers are relatively frequent, considering the state's rugged terrain, popular hiking spots, and extreme weather or high visitor activity. In recent times, a hiker was rescued following a fall from a cliff on the Battery Crosby Trail in San Francisco, while another hiker plummeted 150 feet after falling into a waterfall in Northern California. Multiple hikers also required airlifts due to heat exhaustion and dehydration during a recent heatwave in Southern California.
Despite these challenges, several safety measures are in place to minimize incidents. These include agency coordination, specialized personnel, emergency communications, weather alerts and warnings, and public education about the importance of staying on marked trails, carrying sufficient water, wearing appropriate footwear, and being aware of weather and terrain hazards before setting out.
1. A hiker was airlifted to a hospital in Los Angeles after sustaining injuries from a fall on the Battery Crosby Trail in San Francisco, marking another entry in California's general-news log of helicopter rescues for hikers.
2. In another incident, a sports enthusiast required a helicopter rescue after falling from a cliff on the Pacific Crest Trail in Riverside County, adding to the list of accidents that underscore the need for safety awareness while engaging in outdoor activities across California's rugged terrain.
