Hiker rescued after being trapped for 2 days behind Sequoia National Forest waterfall

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. -- Dramatic video shows the moment a hiker trapped behind a California waterfall for two days was rescued.

The 46-year-old man from Long Beach was hiking with friends who decided to turn back, but he did not.

Search and rescue teams in Central California are calling it a stunning survival story.

The Tulare County Sheriff's Office says 46-year-old Ryan Wardell went hiking last weekend in the Sequoia National Forest with plans to rappel to the waterfalls at Seven Teacups.

Officials say Wardwell was last seen at the top of the falls, but never made it back to his car that night.

Wardwell got trapped after coming off his rappel lines and got caught in the river's hydraulics.

Days later, on Tuesday morning, a drone used by the Tulare County Sheriff's Office search teams spotted Wardwell behind one of the waterfalls.

California Highway Patrol flight officer paramedic Mike Crain was part of the rescue team that hoisted the hiker to safety.

"I had to be careful not to drag him through the waterfall, risk getting him wet, and then a slip hazard," Crain said. "Respect the mountains, it's beautiful, but it's dangerous, and you could die up there very easily."

The Tulare County Sheriff's Office says Wardwell -- who is an experienced hiker -- was treated for minor injuries and dehydration.