Officials with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department says a 30-year-old man is now recovering in the hospital after a 10 to 15-foot drop off a cliff Sunday afternoon.
Emergency responders were called to the west fork of Cold Springs Trail around 4 p.m. where they found the man with major injuries.
Captain Dave Zaniboni says the man was climbing with a rope, but the rope allowed him to drop about 15 feet. The climber ended up on a ledge halfway down the cliff, which made it difficult for rescue crews to reach him.
Cold Springs trail rescue pic.twitter.com/aOPqxYdwGD
— Dave Zaniboni (@SBCFireInfo) February 25, 2019
A helicopter hoisted the man up and flew him to Cottage Hospital.
Two Santa Barbara County engine companies, Santa Barbara City Fire Department, Montecito Fire Department, AMR, and a Santa Ynez Air Support unit responded to the incident.
