Three people stranded on a steep, rugged slope in Northern California were rescued by helicopter Sunday after a distress signal prompted an emergency response.
The Sierra County Sheriff’s Office said rescuers located the group on the Sierra Buttes, just below a lookout tower near the mountain’s summit.
Photos and video released by authorities showed a helicopter hovering beside the rocky mountainside as rescue crews worked to reach the stranded hikers.
A rescue helicopter flies near the Sierra Buttes during an operation to reach three people stranded on a steep section of the Northern California mountain on Oct. 25, 2026. (Sierra County Sheriff’s Office)
The sheriff’s office received an alert at about 2:30 p.m. after a Garmin inReach satellite communications device transmitted an SOS to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
Deputies quickly began a search-and-rescue operation, bringing in the Nevada County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Mountain Rescue Team along with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office RAVEN helicopter crew.
The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office RAVEN helicopter responds to a rescue on the Sierra Buttes, where three people were stranded on steep terrain on Oct. 25, 2026. (Sierra County Sheriff’s Office)
After locating the three people, a rescue team member was lowered from the helicopter to make contact with them. The entire group was then hoisted from the mountainside and flown to a landing zone, where Sierra County deputies were standing by.
“Due to the difficult terrain and hazardous location, a helicopter hoist rescue was necessary,” the sheriff’s office said.
The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office RAVEN helicopter sits on a paved landing area during a rescue operation on the Sierra Buttes in California on Oct. 25, 2026. (Sierra County Sheriff’s Office)
The agency credited the participating crews for their “professionalism, coordination, and assistance” in bringing the Northern California mountain rescue to a successful end.
The Sierra Buttes tower above the North Yuba River canyon and reach roughly 8,600 feet, according to the Pacific Crest Trail Association. A fire lookout is located near the summit.
Officials did not disclose what caused the three people to become stranded, nor did they say whether anyone suffered injuries.
The dramatic helicopter rescue received widespread praise on social media, with commenters thanking the emergency crews and highlighting the RAVEN team’s role in assisting communities throughout the region.
“To see that Sheriff Balaam uses the RAVEN team to assist anywhere they are needed is outstanding and certainly shows just how valuable the unit has become to the region,” one person wrote.
Another commenter praised the rescuers, writing, “Really awesome work, coordination and knowledge by all involved. Impressive and grateful to have this in our community.”
“Hats off to our emergency special teams!!” another person wrote. “We are all very fortunate that you all do what you do.”
The Sierra Buttes operation followed two other high-profile mountain rescues in Northern California earlier this month.
Last week, a 39-year-old Florida man was airlifted to a hospital after falling through a snow bridge and suffering a severe leg injury on the Whitney Glacier. Rescuers reached him the next morning, but dangerous weather conditions prevented a helicopter extraction. According to the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office, crews carried him to a suitable helicopter landing zone the following day.
Earlier this month, a 19-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman from Salt Lake City were rescued after spending 36 hours trapped between cliffs on Mount Shasta. Authorities said neither was injured.
