View VideoSonora, CA – A medical issue necessitated a rope-and-helicopter rescue in the Tuolumne River Canyon of Tuolumne County.
Central Sierra Broadcasting inquired about the incident that occurred on Thursday (1/22/26), around 1:30 p.m. on Powell Ranch Road, off Major Way, near Wards Ferry Road and Lake Don Pedro in the Tuolumne River canyon. Tuolumne County Sheriff’s officials relayed that dispatch had received a call reporting an individual needing help. They added that the situation called for an SAR deployment for a low-angle rope rescue of about 1000 feet.
CAL Fire then determined that a helicopter hoist would be the best way to extract the individual, but due to the steep, rugged terrain and the patient’s injury, they needed to be moved to safely carry out the hoist. Then, the sheriff’s search and rescue (SAR) boat teams were deployed.
“SAR members were able to reach the individual, secure him in a Stokes litter, and move him to a safe spot for a heli-hoist. CHP Helicopter H42 was able to successfully hoist the patient and deliver him to a waiting ambulance, where he was transported to a waiting PHI air ambulance and flown to an out-of-area hospital.”
Other agencies assisting in the rescue included the Sonora Unit of the CHP, CAL Fire Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit, and Manteca District Ambulance Tuolumne Division, which sheriff’s officials thanked “for their outstanding teamwork and collaboration during this mission.”
