The Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District says it first received reports of a paraglider down, shortly before 2 p.m. Sunday.
Officials say the reported incident location was below Divide Peak, in the mountains above Carpinteria. Cell phone GPS coordinates were used however, to determine a more exact location.
The steep terrain made it difficult to access by foot for emergency personnel, so Santa Barbara County Fire Copter 3 from Santa Ynez was subsequently dispatched to perform a hoist operation off the side of the mountain.
Fire officials say a rescuer had to be sent down from the helicopter to retrieve the 60-year-old injured man.
The man was transported by helicopter to Viola Fields in Carpinteria, where he was assessed by paramedics for minor injuries, according to the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District .
It is unclear at this time why the man crashed his glider.
