Three people stranded high on a steep slope in Northern California were lifted to safety by helicopter on Sunday, according to the Sierra County Sheriff's Office.
The group was located on the Sierra Buttes, just south of a lookout tower near the summit. Photos and video released by officials show the helicopter hovering close to the rugged terrain while rescuers worked to reach the three.
The sheriff's office was notified at about 2:30 p.m. after a Garmin inReach satellite communication device sent an SOS signal to the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services. Deputies began a search and rescue operation and brought in the Nevada County Sheriff's Search and Rescue Mountain Rescue Team, along with the RAVEN helicopter crew from the Washoe County Sheriff's Office.
After the crew spotted the group, a rescue team member was lowered from the aircraft to reach them. All three were then hoisted off the mountainside and flown to a landing zone, where Sierra County deputies were waiting. "Due to the difficult terrain and hazardous location, a helicopter hoist rescue was necessary," the sheriff's office said. The agency thanked the teams involved for their "professionalism, coordination, and assistance."
According to the Pacific Crest Trail Association, the Sierra Buttes rise above the North Yuba River canyon, and a fire lookout sits near the top of the roughly 8,600-foot mountain. Authorities did not explain how the three became stranded or say whether anyone was hurt.
The rescue drew warm reactions on social media, where commenters thanked the emergency crews and highlighted the RAVEN team's role in serving communities across the region. One person wrote that it was "outstanding" that Sheriff Balaam uses the team wherever it is needed, and that it "certainly shows just how valuable the unit has become to the region." Another called it "really awesome work" and said they were grateful to have such a resource in the community.
The operation followed two other high-profile rescues on Northern California mountains this month. Last week, a 39-year-old Florida man was flown to a hospital after falling through a snow bridge and severely injuring his leg on the Whitney Glacier. Rescuers reached him the next morning, but bad weather blocked an aerial extraction. Crews eventually carried him to a viable helicopter landing zone the following day, the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office said.
Earlier in October, a 19-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman from Salt Lake City were rescued after becoming trapped between cliffs for 36 hours on Mount Shasta. Authorities said both were uninjured.
