Rescue Without Borders

Climber Rescued From 700-Foot Cliff Face

Dramatic footage shows helicopter crew navigating treacherous terrain to reach injured climber who fell from Power Dome in California's Sierra Nevada

Bianca Jones

SEP 15, 2026 15:09

1 min read

Climber Rescued From 700-Foot Cliff Face in Heart-Stopping Helicopter Operation

Dramatic footage released this week captures the rescue of a climber who was injured after falling from a cliff approximately 700 feet high near Courtright Reservoir in California's Sierra Nevada.

The incident occurred on Friday, September 11, in an area known as Power Dome. According to authorities, the climber fell from the steep section of the cliff and urgently required rescue and medical treatment.

At 12:45 p.m., a rescue request was received, and a helicopter from the California Highway Patrol Air Operations unit was dispatched from its base at Paso Robles Airport. A rescue technician from the Fresno County Sheriff's Office joined the helicopter crew.

Heart-stopping rescue: 700 feet above the abyss with a thin cable (Photo: California Highway Patrol Air Operations)

The newly released footage shows the helicopter approaching the cliff face as rescue teams work to extract the injured climber from the massive height. Using the helicopter's hoist cable, rescuers were able to reach him, lift him into the aircraft, and transfer him to an ambulance waiting in the area.

The rescue required coordinated action from multiple agencies, including the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, California Highway Patrol, fire crews, volunteers from the Shaver Lake Fire Station, and the U.S. Forest Service.