Climber Falls 80 Feet in Redwood Rescue Near UC Santa Cruz

A rescue near the UC Santa Cruz campus turned into a major emergency on Saturday when two people became trapped high in a redwood tree, with one falling an estimated 80 feet before firefighters could intervene.

The incident occurred around 4 p.m. near the cow pasture across from Heller on campus. Officials say one individual climbed roughly 80 feet up a redwood and became stuck. A second person on the ground heard the calls for help, contacted emergency services, and then attempted to climb the tree, becoming stuck as well.

A large multi-agency response followed, including Santa Cruz City Fire, Santa Cruz County Fire, Stanford Life Flight, CalStar, UCSC Police, and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.

While firefighters were working on a rescue plan, the first climber fell. Officials noted the man struck branches for about 50 feet, which likely slowed his descent, before free-falling the final 30 feet and landing in deep redwood duff. An air ambulance landed at the scene and airlifted the injured climber, believed to be in his early 20s, to a trauma center. His condition was not available at the time of transport.

The second person was assisted down with a 35-foot ladder and safely returned to the ground.

Officials emphasized that the scenic landscape in the Santa Cruz Mountains can disguise real hazards, including limited cell service, steep slopes, unstable terrain, rattlesnakes, and rapidly changing conditions. They encouraged visitors to understand their limits and take safety seriously, noting that even small mistakes in the area can quickly become life-threatening.