TULARE COUNTY, Calif. — California police used a helicopter to rescue a man who got trapped for two days behind a waterfall when the force of the water pushed him off his climbing lines, law enforcement officials said.

Ryan Wardwell, 46, of Long Beach, California, had planned to rappel down waterfalls known as the Seven Teacups on Sunday in a remote area about two hours south of Sequoia National Park, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office said.

He never returned to his car that night, prompting a search that led law enforcement to use infrared technology and aircraft to try to find Wardwell. The rough terrain and late hour forced officials to return the next day to continue seeking Wardwell, police said.

It was early Tuesday when a dive and rescue team used a drone to pinpoint Wardwell, who was alive and responsive behind a large waterfall, police said

He came off his rappelling lines when “the extreme hydraulics of the river” trapped him behind the cascade, police said.

Messages seeking comment were left Friday with Wardwell and the sheriff’s office.

The California Highway Patrol used a helicopter to hoist Wardwell to safety. He was treated for minor injuries and dehydration and reunited with family.

Video released by the sheriff’s office shows the police chopper — its blades stirring up spray from the cascading creek — dropping a rescuer attached to a line down to the falls, with both being hoisted back up.

The Seven Teacups is a popular outdoor recreational area, made up by the cascades of the Dry Meadow Creek forming distinctive pools along their route to the North Fork of the Kern River.

Guide sites warn people about the difficulty of the terrain and say not to try it without proper gear and extensive experience.

Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.