SIERRA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
PRESS RELEASE
Date: October 25, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Helicopter Hoist Rescue of Three Stranded Individuals on the Sierra Buttes
SIERRA COUNTY, CA – Earlier today, at approximately 2:30 p.m., the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office received notification from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) regarding an SOS activation from a Garmin inReach satellite communication device involving three individuals stranded on the Sierra Buttes.
Upon receiving the notification, the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office initiated a search and rescue response and requested mutual-aid assistance from the Nevada County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Mountain Rescue Team and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office RAVEN helicopter.
Rescue personnel responded to the Sierra Buttes area, where the RAVEN helicopter crew successfully located the three stranded individuals on a steep, exposed section of terrain south of the lookout tower.
Due to the difficult terrain and hazardous location, a helicopter hoist rescue was necessary. The RAVEN crew lowered a rescue team member to the stranded individuals. Shortly thereafter, all three individuals were successfully hoisted from the cliffside and transported by helicopter to a designated landing zone, where Sierra County Sheriff’s deputies were waiting.
The Sierra County Sheriff’s Office extends its sincere appreciation to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team, and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office RAVEN helicopter crew for their professionalism, coordination, and assistance in bringing this rescue to a successful conclusion quickly.
Washoe County Search & Rescue Nevada County Sheriff’s Search & Rescue
