The scene
Imagine heading out for a hike in the rugged Big Sur wilderness and things going south real fast. That was the reality for three hikers on Sunday night, who ended up getting totally turned around in the remote backcountry. Around 7:30 p.m., Big Sur Fire got a satellite 911 call from the group, and the plot thickened when they realized one of the hikers was dealing with a legit medical emergency.
The rescue
Big Sur Fire and the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office jumped into action, sending seven search-and-rescue team members to hike about 2.5 miles into Limekiln State Park. The terrain was lowkey nightmarish—the trails were so overgrown that the rescuers had to bust out machetes and chainsaws just to hack through the mess.
Because the hikers were stuck in such a gnarly spot after dark, officials called in the big guns: an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter from Naval Air Station Lemoore, nicknamed “Lasso 3.” By 12:30 a.m. Monday, the ground crew finally located the trio. The Navy team then swooped in and hoisted the hikers to safety, where fire and ambulance crews were waiting to help.
A rough summer for the trails
This incident is highkey concerning given the summer the area just had. The Big Sur backcountry has been hit by massive wildfires recently, including the Timber Fire and the Plaskett Fire, which scorched tens of thousands of acres. Because the region hadn't seen a major fire in over 50 years, the landscape is now packed with dense, thick vegetation that makes even standard hiking a challenge.
Why it matters
Authorities are using this incident as a major PSA: keep it real with your physical limits, prep properly before you head out, and for the love of everything, stick to the marked trails. The wilderness in Big Sur is not to be underestimated, and getting lost out there can go from a bad vibe to a life-or-death situation real quick.
