08/31/2026
Good people doing great things to aid others in times of crisis!! I am proud to call a number of these responders my friends. Thank you for what you do!!
🚁 Injured Climber Off Shortoff Mountain After Hours-Long Rescue
Sunday, August 30, 2026 — 5:00 PM
LINVILLE GORGE, N.C. — An injured climber has been lifted off Shortoff Mountain after a technical rescue that ran for hours in steep terrain and drew crews from six counties, Burke County Emergency Services said Sunday.
The agency announced the successful extrication in a 5 p.m. update, calling it "an incredibly complex technical rescue that required hours of work in steep and rugged terrain." Agencies worked under Unified Command, and the patient was transferred to MedCenter Air for continued care.
The hoist was flown by a North Carolina National Guard UH-60M Black Hawk operating under the call sign Kill Devil 244, according to the Charlotte Fire Department, which had three members aboard as part of the NC HART crew. Charlotte Fire identified them as Battalion Chief de Jonge, Captain DePoto and Firefighter II Parks.
That out-of-town presence is by design. NC HART is a state program that pairs rescue technicians from partner fire departments with Guard and State Highway Patrol aircrews, so a Charlotte Fire captain can end up on a rope above a Burke County cliff face. North Carolina Emergency Management ordered the team because of the remote location and the terrain, Charlotte Fire said.
The department also flagged a point for anyone watching aerial video now circulating from the scene: the person seen being lifted back aboard the helicopter in one portion of the footage is a rescuer, not the injured climber.
Five of the seven counties Catawba Valley News & Weather covers had crews on the mountain. Catawba County Rescue Squad and Maiden Rescue Squad responded from Catawba County. McDowell County sent Special Operations, McDowell Rescue Squad, Marion Fire Department and North Cove Fire Department. Lincoln County Special Operations and Caldwell County Special Operations also assisted, along with Linville Central Rescue Squad from Avery County.
Burke County resources included Emergency Management, EMS, Special Operations, the Rescue Squad, 911 Communications, the Sheriff's Office, Glen Alpine Fire Department, Lake James Fire Department, Burke REACT, Lake James State Park and the county medical director.
The response was not finished as of the update. Crews were still making their way out of the wilderness and recovering rescue equipment from the mountain, with officials expecting the full operation to wrap within a couple of hours. Emergency Services thanked the public for keeping clear of the area during the operation.
Officials have not released the climber's name, age, hometown or condition, and have not said where on the mountain the fall happened or how.
This remains a developing story. Details may change as officials release additional information, and Catawba Valley News & Weather will update this report.
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