Rock Climber Rescued After Spending Two Days Trapped Behind California Waterfall

A first responder attempts to rescue Ryan Wardwell from behind the Seven Teacups waterfall in Sequoia National Forest in Tulare County, Calif.

A California rock climber survived two days trapped behind a powerful waterfall in Sequoia National Forest before being rescued earlier this week.

Ryan Wardwell, 46, of Long Beach, was reported missing on Monday after failing to return to his vehicle Sunday night following an attempt to rappel down a waterfall in the Kern River’s Seven Teacups area, according to the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office.

First responders arrived in the remote portion of the Kern River late Monday and used infrared technology to identify a possible location in the darkness. Early Tuesday morning, swift-water dive and search-and-rescue teams deployed a drone and located Wardwell inside a cavity behind the waterfall.

Wardwell was alive and responsive and told deputies that he had come off his rappel lines and became trapped behind the waterfall due to the river’s extreme hydraulics. Temperatures in the area were in the low 60s, and the frigid water from the Sierra Nevada snowpack likely contributed to mild hypothermia.

Deputy Craig Douglas was lowered to the location with the assistance of a helicopter crew. He secured Wardwell in a recovery suit and safely lifted him into the aircraft. The climber was checked at the scene and released to his family on Tuesday.

Officials said Wardwell had previously rappelled the same waterfall but this attempt turned hazardous. According to investigators, he had traveled to the location with friends, who turned back after deeming the conditions too dangerous. Wardwell decided to proceed on his own.

Authorities noted that three people drowned in approximately the same part of the river in August 2024 and warned visitors to be mindful of their capabilities when navigating swift water in the North Fork of the Kern River.