A dramatic rope rescue unfolded Thursday night at Mission Trails Regional Park when four rock climbers became stranded high above Father Junípero Serra Trail.
San Diego Fire-Rescue was called around 8:43 PM after one climber fell and tangled their safety line with three others. The rope system failure left all four climbers stuck on the cliffside.
Crews from multiple stations, including two urban search and rescue teams, worked into the night to reach the stranded group. Rescuers climbed both directly to the victims and up to the summit to evaluate rope anchors and free entanglements.
One climber suffered serious injuries and was carried down the hillside after medics determined that an aerial hoist would be too risky. Three others were unhurt once freed.
SDFD FIO Jason Shanley explained, “Their rope system became compromised not allowing the other climbers to come down on their own. Crews focused on stabilizing the injured patient first, then worked to free the remaining climbers.”
The complex operation required staging equipment across multiple points on the trail, with Copter 3 overhead as backup. The rescue concluded just after midnight.
