Last Updated on August 30, 2026 7:28 pm
A climber was successfully rescued by helicopter Sunday afternoon after falling 15 to 20 feet from a steep, rugged section of Shortoff Mountain in the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area, in a multi-agency operation that stretched across six counties and involved a North Carolina National Guard Black Hawk helicopter.
Burke County emergency crews responded to the area near the Wolf Pit Trailhead Sunday, Aug. 30, after reports of a climber who had suffered a significant fall; a public safety notice was issued by 10 a.m. that morning, though later reporting placed the initial call around 2 p.m. According to Burke County Public Information Officer Christopher White, the man suffered a lower-extremity injury and was conscious when crews reached him. According to reports, he told rescuers it was his first time attempting to climb that section of the mountain.
Ground crews were able to reach the climber, but the steep, at times nearly vertical terrain made carrying him out on foot extremely difficult. Because of the complexity of the rescue, North Carolina Emergency Management ordered a mission for the North Carolina Helo-Aquatic Rescue Team (NC HART), and a National Guard UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter, callsign “Kill Devil 244,” was brought in to assist with the extrication.
Three Charlotte Fire Department members — Battalion Chief de Jonge, Captain DePoto, and Firefighter II Parks — were aboard the helicopter as part of the NC HART team. The Black Hawk lifted the climber from the mountain and transported him to Charlotte for medical treatment. Officials have not released his name or further details on his condition.
“It's not typical that we have a Black Hawk come and extricate an individual,” White said, adding that some sections of Shortoff Mountain become nearly vertical, making the terrain especially difficult to navigate.
The response grew into a large multi-agency effort operating under Unified Command. Burke County resources included Oak Hill Fire & Rescue, Lake James Fire & Rescue, Glen Alpine Fire Department, Burke County Rescue Squad, Burke REACT, Burke County EMS, Burke County Emergency Management, Burke County Emergency Communications, and the Burke County Sheriff's Office. Additional crews responded from McDowell County, Linville Central Rescue Squad in Avery County, Catawba County, Lincoln County, and Caldwell County, along with North Carolina Emergency Management, NC HART, and MedCenter Air.
By 5 p.m., Burke County officials confirmed the patient had been successfully extricated from the mountain, though the operation continued for several more hours as crews made their way out of the area and recovered rescue equipment.
The Wolf Pit Trailhead remained closed throughout the operation and was expected to stay inaccessible for an extended period afterward. Officials asked the public to avoid the Wolf Pit Trailhead and Shortoff Mountain area while crews worked.
Shortoff Mountain is part of the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area, where Burke County crews respond to an average of about 98 rescues per year, according to White. Most involve hikers with injuries such as broken ankles or legs who can be carried out on foot. Sunday's rescue was more complex due to the remote location and difficult terrain.
