Hiker, 2 dogs found stranded on 200-foot bluff over beach, California firefighters say

A hiker and two dogs had to be rescued after becoming stranded on a cliff overlooking a San Francisco beach, California firefighters say.

The man may have become stuck after climbing about 80 feet down a Fort Funston cliff after his dogs, SFGate reported. He and the dogs were not hurt and did not appear to have fallen.

The sandy bluffs at Fort Funston, a former fortification on the Pacific Ocean, reach heights of up to 200 feet, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy said.

Firefighters were notified about the stranded hiker at about 11:40 a.m Wednesday, June 21, the San Francisco Fire Department reported on Twitter.

A coastal rescue team conducted a technical rope rescue, first retrieving the man and then going back down for the two dogs, firefighters said.

Firefighters finished the rescues by 1:35 p.m. and said the man and dogs would be all right.

Founded in the early 1900s, Fort Funston once housed shore batteries and Nike missiles protecting the Golden Gate, the conservancy said. It is now home to hiking trails, a native plant nursery and an off-leash dog park.

This story was originally published June 22, 2023 at 7:25 AM with the headline "Hiker, 2 dogs found stranded on 200-foot bluff over beach, California firefighters say."