Guide sites warn people about the difficulty of the terrain and say not to try it without proper gear and extensive experience.
In Tulare County, California, local authorities used a helicopter to save a man trapped behind a waterfall for two days, after the forceful water pushed him away from his climbing ropes, officials reported.
Ryan Wardwell, a 46-year-old resident of Long Beach, California, had embarked on a plan to rappel down a series of waterfalls called the Seven Teacups on Sunday. This remote spot is located roughly two hours south of Sequoia National Park, according to the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office.
When he failed to return to his car that night, a search was initiated. Law enforcement resorted to infrared technology and aircraft to locate Wardwell. Due to difficult terrain and late-night conditions, the search had to be resumed the following day.
On early Tuesday, a dive and rescue team utilized a drone to locate Wardwell, who was found alive and responsive behind a substantial waterfall, according to police reports.
He came off his rappelling lines when “the extreme hydraulics of the river” trapped him behind the cascade, police said.
Messages seeking comment were left Friday with Wardwell and the sheriff’s office.
The California Highway Patrol’s helicopter then safely airlifted Wardwell. He received treatment for minor injuries and dehydration and was reunited with his family.
A video released by the sheriff’s office captures the police helicopter with its rotor blades whipping up the creek’s spray, as a rescuer descends on a line to the waterfall, assisting in hoisting both back to safety.
The Seven Teacups is a popular outdoor recreational area, made up by the cascades of the Dry Meadow Creek forming distinctive pools along their route to the North Fork of the Kern River.
Guide sites warn people about the difficulty of the terrain and say not to try it without proper gear and extensive experience.
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