A climber became trapped behind an “extreme” rushing waterfall at a popular California rappelling spot for two harrowing days before being rescued, authorities said — calling his tale “a stunning survival story.”

Ryan Wardwell, 46, plummeted in an open space behind the waterfall while trying to rappel down the cliffside at Kern River on Aug. 10 when the cascade’s “extreme hydraulics” forced him off his line, according to the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office . 4

Rappelling is a type of climbing where, instead of scaling the wall upwards, daring climbers rig themselves at the top and make the descent to the base, often of a cliffside or other rock wall.

Wardwell was reported missing within a day after local law enforcement noticed his vehicle hadn’t budged from a lot near the park.

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