Big Sur, California – Two climbers stranded on a steep chute about 600 feet below the roadway were rescued by helicopter near Hurricane Point on August 22, 2026.

At approximately 6:24 p.m., Big Sur Fire requested the Paso Robles CHP Air Unit for a technical hoist rescue just north of Big Sur. Helicopter H-70 located the two climbers on the steep terrain.

Because the slope was too steep for a safe dismount from the hoist hook, a Helicopter Rescue Technician was lowered to the first climber while remaining attached to the hoist.

The technician secured the climber in a Pelican rescue harness, and both were lifted to rescue personnel waiting at the staging area.

H-70 then returned to the scene and used the same technical-hoist procedure to extract the second climber.

The video shows the helicopter hovering over the steep chute as the rescue technician descends on the hoist cable, secures the first climber and is lifted away with the victim. The aircraft then returns for the second extraction.

Both climbers were brought out. Their names and medical status were not released.

CHP Air Operations personnel said these high-risk, low-frequency rescues are what they continuously train for, with no room for error when operating under a hoist in steep terrain and challenging environmental conditions.

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