Yesterday, Saturday November 29, 2025, at roughly 2:00pm, Cannon Beach Fire personnel were dispatched along with Gearhart Volunteer Fire Department, Hamlet Volunteer Fire Department, and Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue to a report of a hiker who was at the top of Saddle Mountain State Park unable to descend.
At 2:45pm, personnel arrived at the parking lot and began their ascent up the trail. At 3:30pm, personnel arrived on scene 1.5 miles up from the trailhead and found a male patient stranded roughly 40’ up on a three-foot wide knife-edge ridge located on the south slope of Saddle Mountain. The incident commander quickly realized they were dealing with a high-angle rescue and requested the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Astoria and additional fire personnel.
At 5:15pm, the USCG rescue helicopter arrived on scene and began their rescue attempt. Unfortunately, due to reduced visibility with the terrain and a quickly lowering cloud level, their margins for safety were exceeded causing them to abort any further rescue attempts. This forced rescue personnel to execute their alternate plan which required an elaborate and risky rope rescue operation.
Lead by Cannon Beach Fire’s Rope Rescue Team. Firefighters had to ascend 250’ above the victim and secure a rope anchor to a large boulder. A rescuer then rappelled down the cliff-face onto the knife-edge ridge, secured another rope anchor, and then carefully navigated around the tall rock pinnacle to reach the victim. The rescuer then secured the victim with a harness, rigged a lowering device, and lowered the victim down the 40’ rock face to awaiting personnel where the victim was assessed and treated. The victim was then assisted back down the mountain to the parking lot.
All rescue personnel were safely back to the parking lot at 8:20pm. In total, the rescue operation lasted roughly 6.5 hours and required the coordination of 13 Fire and SAR personnel, as well as the USCG.
Incidents like these go to prove our ability to work together as a team to serve our community members in their time of need.
We would like to take the time to remind everyone that when going for a hike, please stay on the main trail and remember to bring the ten essentials.
