A Long Beach man was rescued by Tulare County Sheriff’s Department deputies after he became trapped behind the Seven Teacups waterfalls, authorities said.
On Sunday night, the sheriff’s Emergency Services Division took a report of a missing man, who was last seen at the top of the waterfalls near the North Fork of the Kern River.
Ryan Wardwell, 46, had planned to rappel the waterfall, deputies said. However, he hadn’t returned to his car by late Sunday night, when expected.
Here’s what to know about the rescue.
How did search for missing man unfold?
Deputies searched the Seven Teacups area on Monday using aircraft equipped with cameras and infrared technology, which helped identify Wardwell’s location through body heat.
Because it was so late in the day and because of the “technical difficulty of the area,” the rescue team decided to respond to the area first thing Tuesday morning,” sheriff’s spokeswoman Ashley Schwarm said. The Swiftwater-Dive Rescue and Search and Rescue teams responded to the area to search on foot. A drone was used to check behind a large waterfall where Wardwell was found alive.
The man told deputies that he had come off his rappel lines and got trapped behind the waterfall because of the extreme hydraulics of the river.
A California Highway Patrol helicopter was called to help with the rescue operation. Once the helicopter arrived, a rescue team member was lowered down into the waterfall. He secured Wardwell, and they were pulled to safety, Schwarm said.
Wardwell was flown to a nearby landing zone and evaluated by paramedics. He was treated for minor injuries and dehydration, then reunited with his family.
The sheriff’s Emergency Services Division reminds the public to “always be aware of their environment and capabilities, especially when navigating white water rivers. Stay Safe, Stay Smart and Stay Alive.”
What are the Seven Teacups?
Tucked into the rugged folds of the Sierra Nevada mountains near Kernville, the Seven Teacups is a series of naturally carved pools and waterfalls along Dry Meadow Creek. This remote canyon trail is a magnet for adventure seekers, especially canyoneers and hikers drawn to its sculpted granite bowls, cascading drops, and crystal-clear waters.
The Seven Teacups was the site of a fatal incident in August 2024 when three experienced hikers from Utah—David Bell, Jeannine Skinner, and Peter On—were swept into a powerful whirlpool while navigating the canyon. Skinner was caught first, and Bell and On jumped in to help, but all three were overcome by the current and drowned despite rescue efforts that followed within minutes.
Top Water Safety Tips
(This story was updated to include more information about the Seven Teacups.)
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Long Beach man rescued from Seven Teacups waterfalls by Tulare County sheriff’s deputies
Reporting by Sheyanne N Romero, Visalia Times-Delta / Visalia Times-Delta
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
