A dog fell down a 200-foot ice waterfall in Lake Tahoe last weekend, triggering a large volunteer-powered rescue that required a drone pilot and an ice climber to bring the dog home.
On Saturday, Jan. 25, at around 10:22 a.m., the dog’s owner called 911 to report that their dog lost its footing and slid down Cascade Falls, a popular hiking destination at the end of a short trail that leaves from Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe.
The dog, whose name is Moscow, survived the fall but was injured, according to a statement posted to Facebook by El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office. The dog owner wanted to rescue Moscow themselves, but emergency responders told them to stay back so the person would not put themselves in danger and initiated a search and rescue team response.
SFGATE reached out to the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office for comment on the rescue and conditions at Cascade Falls but did not receive a response before publication.
Search and rescue volunteers arrived at Cascade Falls shortly after and found the dog with assistance from a drone operated by South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue.
By the time rescuers arrived, a person who was ice climbing at Cascade Falls was already with the dog and attending to it. The dog sustained injuries and needed to be carried out of the backcountry with a harness attached to a backpack. Rescuers took the dog to an emergency vet. The dog is currently recovering from its injuries.
