Terrified hiker holds 'death grip' in dramatic, nail-biting cliffside rescue in California

WHITEWATER, Calif. – A stranded and terrified hiker was safely rescued by archetypal responders successful California aft she slipped down a cliffside and was forced to clasp connected for beloved beingness to forestall herself from tumbling to the crushed below.

The nail-biting rescue was captured connected video by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit connected April 13 successful the Whitewater country on the Pacific Crest Trail southbound of San Bernardino County.

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This representation shows a archetypal responder looking extracurricular a chopper arsenic it flies toward a stranded hiker connected a cliff successful California connected April 13, 2025.

(@rso.aviation/Instagram / FOX Weather)

According to officials, the unidentified hiker was capable to substance 911 from an exigency connection instrumentality aft she became stranded.

The aggravated video shows a chopper filled with archetypal responders approaching the country and spotting her hanging onto the cliffside portion processing a program to prevention the woman.

"Due to her precise precarious spot, which she was exhausted from that presumption for implicit an hour, and with a dense battalion with unsure footing, the rescue specializer determined the safest enactment was to carnivore hug her and ascent to the top," officials said successful an Instagram post.

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This representation shows an unidentified hiker who slid down a cliff successful California connected April 13, 2025.

(@rso.aviation/Instagram / FOX Weather)

The video shows a rescuer being lowered and trying his champion to comfortableness the woman, whose legs were bloodied and shaking.

The pistillate repeatedly apologizes to her rescuer, who reassures her she volition beryllium fine.

"I’m sorry, I can't," the hiker screams.

"Yes, you can," the rescuer responds. "Hold onto me! Hold onto my back."

Officials said the rescuer couldn't hazard asking her to assistance her arms due to the fact that "she was intelligibly decease gripping the cliff."

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This representation shows a archetypal responder and hiker being hoisted to information successful California connected April 13, 2025.

(@rso.aviation/Instagram / FOX Weather)

The delicate rescue continues for respective minutes until the archetypal responder and hiker are brought to safety astatine the apical of the cliff.

"You’re safe," the rescuer is heard telling the hiker, who was seen collapsed connected the crushed aft the frightening concern came to an end.

Both the stranded hiker and archetypal responder were yet hoisted backmost into the chopper and brought backmost to the bottommost of the cliff.