Three Hikers Rescued From 8,600-Foot Sierra Buttes Summit
A satellite communicator's SOS alert led rescuers to stranded individuals on a remote California peak.
Three hikers were rescued from the 8,600-foot summit of Sierra Buttes in the Tahoe National Forest after their satellite communication device transmitted an SOS alert. The Sierra County Sheriff’s Office initiated a search and rescue operation Sunday afternoon when the distress signal was received.
To aid in the rescue, officials requested assistance from the Nevada County’s Search and Rescue Mountain Rescue Team and Washoe County’s RAVEN helicopter unit. The aerial crew located the stranded hikers on a steep, exposed ridgeline near the mountain's lookout tower.
Due to the challenging terrain and hazardous location, a helicopter hoist rescue was determined to be necessary. A member of the RAVEN crew was lowered to the hikers to facilitate their extraction, according to a statement from the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office.
This incident follows other recent mountain rescues in California. Last week, a Florida man was rescued from Shastina Peak after spending two nights stranded with a severe leg injury. Earlier in the month, two hikers were found after a 36-hour ordeal on Mount Shasta, having become lost in treacherous conditions.