A walk that promised to be just another adventure throughout Pacific Crest Trail became a real nightmare for a woman who eventually got stuck in a cliff for more than an hour in the Whitewater area in southern San Bernardino County, California.
The incident occurred last Sunday and required an intense rescue operation by the Riverside County authorities. The victim, who was in an extremely delicate position and with a heavy backpack on his back, managed to stay calm enough to activate a relief request through his Garmin emergency device, directly contacting 911, equivalent to 112 in Portugal.
Upon arriving at the scene, agents quickly realized that the situation required a different approach. The woman was exhausted, clung to all her strength, and any false movement could have tragic consequences. Given the impossibility of putting a rescue strap, as lifting her arms meant leaving what kept her safe, the rescue expert made an unconventional but effective decision: she embraced the woman and, with joint effort, slowly climbed to the top.
“It was an intense and technical rescue,” the authorities highlighted in a publication. “They both felt a huge discharge of adrenaline as they reached the top of the cliff,” they added.
Thanks to the speed of response and the dexterity of the agents, the episode had a happy ending. 👏
