Hiker Rescued From Knife-Edge Ridge at Saddle Mountain After Crews Rappel 250 Feet in Nighttime Operation
CLATSOP COUNTY, Ore. — A weekend hike that could have been tragic had a happy ending on Saturday after rescuers rappelled down a ridge at Saddle Mountain State Park to rescue a hiker stranded 40 feet up on a “knife-edge” ridge.
Cannon Beach Fire crews, along with Gearhart and Hamlet Volunteer Fire Departments and Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, responded to reports of a hiker stranded on a 3-foot-wide ridge at Saddle Mountain State Park on Nov. 29, around 2 p.m.
Saddle Mountain’s upper ridges are narrow, exposed, and prone to sudden weather shifts, making rescues a regular challenge for Clatsop County crews.
The hiker was found 1.5 miles up the trail, 40 feet up, and the U.S. Coast Guard attempted a helicopter rescue from the ridge but aborted the mission due to poor visibility.
In a complex operation involving 13 personnel, crews from Cannon Beach Fire’s Rope Rescue Team, using a high-angle rope, then ascended 250 feet up from the hiker’s location and secured a rope anchor to a large boulder.
A rescuer rappelled down to the hiker, secured him with a harness, and lowered him to safety at 8:20 p.m.
- 2:00 p.m.: Crews receive report of stranded hiker on narrow ridge.
- Afternoon: Coast Guard attempts hoist but aborts due to fog.
- Evening: Rope Rescue Team climbs above ridge and anchors system.
- 8:20 p.m.: Rescuer rappels down and lowers hiker to safety.
The hiker was assessed and treated at the scene, but no specific injuries were reported.