Injured Rock Climber Rescued in Dramatic Footage After Falling Down 700-Foot Cliff in California
Injured Rock Climber Rescued in Dramatic Footage After Falling Down 700-Foot Cliff in California
Adam EnglandTue, September 15, 2026 at 10:22 AM UTC
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Authorities came to the climber’s aid after they fell from the cliff known as the “Power Dome” in the Sierra Nevada mountains -
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) rescued an injured rock climber who fell 700 feet down the “Power Dome” cliff in California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range on Friday, Sept. 11
A helicopter rescue team performed a hoist extraction and transported the climber to an ambulance for medical care
The CHP’s Coastal Division Air Operations shared video footage of the dramatic moment on Facebook and thanked its partner agencies for aiding in the rescue
Authorities have shared the dramatic moment an injured climber who fell down a steep 700-foot cliff in California’s Fresno County was rescued by a helicopter on Friday, Sept. 11.
The California Highway Patrol’s (CHP) Coastal Division Air Operations shared in a Facebook statement, alongside video footage of the operation, that a rescue team had responded to reports of a climber falling off the cliff, known as the “Power Dome,” at around 12:45 p.m. local time that day.
The granite cliff, near the Courtright Reservoir, is located in the southwest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
The climber was in “urgent need of extraction and medical care,” the CHP said, and an H-70 helicopter arrived at the scene from its base at Paso Robles Airport in western California with a crew of two — a pilot and a flight officer/paramedic, who also doubles as a hoist operator.
“Utilizing a helicopter rescue technician (HRT) from Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, H-70 performed a hoist extraction of the injured climber, then transported the climber to an awaiting ambulance,” the statement read.
“Our crews rely on the collaborative efforts of our partner agencies, particularly our HRT team members, in order to ensure the safest outcome. We would like to thank all agencies who participated in this rescue,” the CHP added.
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The California Highway Patrol rescuing an injured climber in Fresno County on Sept. 11, 2026Credit: CHP - Coastal Division Air Operations/Facebook
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The climber’s identity and condition have not been shared. PEOPLE has reached out to the California Highway Patrol’s Coastal Division for comment, but did not immediately hear back.
The rescue follows a number of unrelated incidents involving climbers and hikers in the Sierra Nevada mountains in recent months.
The California Highway Patrol rescuing an injured climber in Fresno County on Sept. 11, 2026Credit: CHP - Coastal Division Air Operations/Facebook
The California Highway Patrol rescuing an injured climber in Fresno County on Sept. 11, 2026Credit: CHP - Coastal Division Air Operations/Facebook
In August, a missing hiker was found dead after falling from a cliff during a trek through the range, two weeks after he went missing.
The same month, Jake Whisenant, a speed climber who previously set a record on California’s El Capitan route in Yosemite National Park, died in an accident in the region at age 30. And in April, a climber sustained broken bones after falling 500 feet down Mount Baxter.
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Source: “AOL Breaking”
