Four hikers, dog rescued from cliffside near California's tallest bridge

AUBURN -- Four hikers and a dog are safe after they were rescued from the side of a cliff in Auburn near California's tallest bridge.

It happened Monday night on the west side of the revenue on the North Fork of the American River under the Foresthill Bridge.

Cal Fire said they responded around 8:30 p.m. Monday after the hikers called for help when they could not find their way back to their car. The hikers were from out of town and were hiking on a remote trail, losing their way when the sun went down.

California State Parks, Cal Fire and Placer County Technical Rescue crews responded to the call. The hikers were safely rescued and were not injured.

Nolan Hale, battalion chief for Cal Fire's Auburn headquarters, said the rescue could not have happened in a better location.

"They were essentially 50 feet below our training site. Over the past four to five months, we've held seven large trainings there for low-angle rope rescues. So the ground and the gear and the systems we used are all very familiar," Hale said.

With the summer recreation season just months away, Cal Fire said to always have a plan when hiking, have a plan and research the area, have food and water, have a way to communicate with authorities and let people know where you are hiking and what time you'll return.