Hikers stuck on steep slope get helicopter rescue in Sierra County

The mountain’s summit sits at 8,600 feet, a height that made the Sunday rescue on the Sierra Buttes a technical operation for the responding crews. Three hikers were stranded on a steep slope just south of a fire lookout tower near the top of the peak. They were lifted from the rugged terrain by helicopter and flown to a landing zone where deputies waited.

The sequence began around 2:30 p.m. when a Garmin inReach device sent a distress signal to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. The Sierra County Sheriff’s Office received the alert and launched a search and rescue response. Deputies contacted the Nevada County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Mountain Rescue Team and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office’s RAVEN helicopter crew to assist.

Video released by officials shows the helicopter hovering near the jagged mountainside. A rescue team member was lowered from the aircraft to reach the stranded group. Once the contact was established, the crew hoisted all three individuals off the slope. The sheriff’s office noted that the difficult terrain and hazardous location made the helicopter hoist necessary. The agency credited the involved teams with professionalism and coordination.

Authorities did not release details on how the group became stuck or whether anyone sustained injuries. The Sierra Buttes rise above the North Yuba River canyon, a region known for its challenging hiking conditions. The Pacific Crest Trail Association notes the presence of the fire lookout near the summit of the approximately 8,600-foot mountain.

This operation follows two other notable mountain rescues in Northern California earlier this month. Last week, a 39-year-old man from Florida was injured on Whitney Glacier after falling through a snow bridge. Bad weather delayed his aerial extraction until the following day. Earlier in the month, a 19-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman from Salt Lake City were freed from between cliffs on Mount Shasta after a 36-hour ordeal. Both were reported uninjured.

Social media users praised the response to the Sierra Buttes incident. One commenter highlighted the role of the RAVEN team in regional support. Another expressed gratitude for the coordination displayed by the emergency teams. The rescue concluded with all three hikers safely on the ground at the designated landing zone.