Helicopter hoist saves three hikers stranded on Sierra Buttes ridge

Northern California mountain rescue operations have increased in frequency this month, with three separate incidents requiring complex extraction teams on steep terrain. The latest rescue involved three hikers stranded high on a rugged mountainside.

The Sierra County Sheriff’s Office received an alert at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. A Garmin inReach satellite communication device sent an SOS signal to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. The group was located on the Sierra Buttes, positioned just south of a lookout tower near the mountain’s peak.

The mountain rises above the North Yuba River canyon and stands at approximately 8,600 feet, according to the Pacific Crest Trail Association. The Sierra Buttes feature a fire lookout near the summit, a detail that helped rescuers identify the general area of the distress signal.

Upon receiving the alert, deputies initiated a search and rescue response. They coordinated with the Nevada County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Mountain Rescue Team and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office’s RAVEN helicopter crew. Video released by officials showed the aircraft maneuvering near the steep, rugged terrain as rescuers prepared for the extraction.

A rescue team member was lowered from the helicopter to reach the stranded hikers. Once connected, the crew hoisted all three individuals off the mountainside. They were then flown to a landing zone where Sierra County deputies were waiting for their arrival.

The sheriff’s office stated that a helicopter hoist rescue was necessary due to the difficult terrain and hazardous location. The agency acknowledged the professionalism and coordination of the involved teams in bringing the rescue to a successful conclusion. Authorities did not specify how the hikers became stranded or if anyone sustained injuries.

This rescue follows two other high-profile mountain rescues in the region earlier this month. Last week, a 39-year-old man from Florida was airlifted to a hospital after falling through a snow bridge on Whitney Glacier. Before that, a 19-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman from Salt Lake City were rescued from Mount Shasta after a 36-hour ordeal between cliffs.