Horse and rider rescued from cliff after fall near American River

A horse and its rider were rescued from a cliff Wednesday afternoon after falling 50 to 60 feet down an embankment near the American River, officials said.

The rider and horse were on a trail off of Quarry Road about 2 to 3 miles upriver from the confluence of the American River near Auburn, said Tim Cordero, division chief of the El Dorado County Fire District. A call for help was received at 2:33 p.m.

Some of the trails that go up the canyon are steep and narrow, possibly contributing to the accidental fall, Cordero said.

The horse and rider both sustained minor injuries, Cordero said.

El Dorado County Fire, Grass Valley Fire and Cal Fire all responded to the incident.

This story was originally published June 5, 2019 at 6:33 PM.