A weekend hike near Tangerine Falls ended with a helicopter rescue Saturday morning after a woman suffered an ankle injury along the popular Montecito trail.
At 11:07 a.m. on January 31, Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue (SBCSAR), Montecito Fire Department, and the Santa Barbara County Air Support Unit were dispatched to reports of an injured hiker with a possible broken ankle near the Tangerine Falls Trail fork, according to SBCSAR Public Information Officer Jason Copus.
Montecito Fire personnel made initial contact with the 58-year-old woman, who was located near a ravine just past the fork in the trail. She was assessed to have an isolated ankle injury.
SBCSAR Team 1 arrived shortly afterward to assist as medics provided on-scene patient care.
“Due to the location and injury, a helicopter hoist was determined to be the safest extraction method,” Copus said.
Rescue crews transferred the patient using a MegaMover (a portable, soft stretcher) to a nearby open area suitable for hoist operations. Helicopter 308 then successfully hoisted the woman and transported her to a hospital for further evaluation and treatment.
Tangerine Falls, a well-traveled, 2.3-mile trail with a flowing creek and 100 ft. waterfall at the end of it, draws large crowds during clear weather. The trail itself can be tricky, and rescuers remind folks that even familiar routes can pose serious risks when injuries occur in steep or remote terrain.
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