I watched a possible rescue operation in Sunol Regional Park yesterday. In addition to a CDF helicopter, there were 2 Alameda County fire trucks, an ambulance and a park vehicle. The helicopter dropped off a couple of people near the road and began to hover and circle over a particular area. I realized that they were interested in the Cave Rocks area just off the Indian Joe Trail. Cave Rocks is a fun and popular scrambling area composed of several decent sized boulders and outcroppings.

While I watched, someone and/or something (a stretcher?) was lowered to the rocks which were mostly hidden in the trees from my vantage point. The chopper then circled for a short time and came back to hover over the rocks to raise someone and/or something up. Then it flew over and landed near the emergency vehicles waiting nearby. I didn't see a stretcher being carried out of the helicopter to the ambulance. I don't know what that means. Then it took off and landed back at the spot where I'd originally seen it and picked up the two people it had dropped off earlier and then it flew off out of the park. Eventually, the emergency vehicles drove off as well.

The entire operation lasted for about an hour. I'm guessing that there was not much more than a broken bone involved, since a fatality might have been reported on a news source and a serious life threatening injury would have been flown directly out to a hospital without delay. But, who knows, maybe it was just a practice drill.

Here's a recent picture I took of Cave Rocks as viewed from the Indian Joe Trail:

An old picture of Nora patiently (and nervously) indulging my need for a quick bit of scrambling: