A Pacific Crest Trail thru-hiker was the subject of "an intense, technical rescue" after becoming stuck on a steep, crumbly cliffside in southern California.
A dramatic video of the rescue scene was posted to Instagram by Riverside County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit, with officials explaining that the incident unfolded in the Whitewater area of the trail, just south of San Bernardino County, around 200 miles from the famous trail's southern terminus.
Helicopter footage shows the woman clinging to the cliffside, still wearing her backpack and holding her trekking poles. Officials say the hiker had been able to send an emergency text to 911 via a "Garmin-type emergency communications device" and had been holding her precarious position for over an hour when they arrived.
When the rescue crew member reaches the woman, you can see her legs trembling in fear and exhaustion, and he has to devise a way to quickly move her to a safer spot.
"The rescue specialist determined the safest option was to bear hug her and climb to the top," writes the RCSO team.
"He just could not risk asking her to lift her arms, that she was clearly death gripping the cliff with, in order to place a rescue strap on."
Once he persuades the hiker to hold onto him, it takes another couple of minutes to pull her up onto a rock where she initially collapses on her side, her legs bloody, before sitting up and drinking water. She is then hoisted from the scene and transported to safety in the helicopter.
Another hiker commented on the post saying they self-rescued from the same area last year, writing: "I missed the cairn up top and ended up on this. The sand fell away. It was at dusky. I was scared, crying, and finally and slowly climbed back."
As officials are quick to point out in the comments section, hiking can and sometimes does take an unexpected turn, and this story is yet another reminder to be prepared for all possibilities. Pack the 10 essentials, do your research, stay aware, and consider investing in a satellite communicator such as a Garmin InReach that allows you to call for help even in the backcountry where there may be no cell service.
