A California climber who was seriously injured in a 500-foot fall on Mount Shasta spent the night crawling to a remote cabin, where rescue crews found him the next day, forest officials said Friday.
The San Jose man, whose name was not released, lost control Thursday night while glissading down Avalanche Gulch, a steep route covered in snow and ice. He had reached the summit of Mount Shasta in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest before the accident.
“The climber told rescuers that he had attempted to glissade down the mountain, lost control, and slid approximately 500 feet. During his fall, he sustained several significant lacerations and injuries to his feet,” forest service officials said.
Officials said the climber could not call for help because his cellphone died shortly after he reached the summit.
The climber lost control while glissading down Avalanche Gulch and crawled through the night after removing his boots. (U.S. Forest Service / Shasta-Trinity National Forest)
As painful swelling set in after the fall, the climber removed his boots and “crawled through the night” down the rest of Avalanche Gulch until he reached Horse Camp Cabin, according to authorities.
The following day, his friends were unable to reach him and reported him missing to the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office.
By 2 p.m. Friday, rescue crews and air support from multiple agencies had been deployed to search the Avalanche Gulch area, officials said.
About two hours later, rescuers learned that the climber was inside Horse Camp Cabin after a hiker entered the shelter and found him.
Officials praised the climber for knowing the route, notifying friends of his plans and making his way to Horse Camp Cabin. (U.S. Forest Service / Shasta-Trinity National Forest)
Officials used the incident to remind hikers to leave ample daylight for their trips, set a turnaround time around noon, carry backup electronic devices and be prepared to rescue themselves when necessary.
“The climber did his best to self-rescue despite significant injuries, and knew his route well enough without a map, to find his way back to the Horse Camp Cabin. Never rely solely on a GPS or phone to navigate – if those devices stop working, your own navigation skills will be critical in ensuring a safe return home,” officials said.
They also praised the climber for informing his friends about his whereabouts before the outing.
“The climber wisely notified his friends of his plan to climb Mount Shasta and made a point to check in and provide progress updates. When he lost contact, his friends contacted law enforcement to report him overdue and traveled to help with the search effort. It is always advisable to notify at least one person of your itinerary,” officials said.
Friends contacted authorities after the climber failed to check in, prompting a multi-agency search near Mount Shasta. (U.S. Forest Service — Shasta-Trinity National Forest)
The rescue team was assisted by the Mount Shasta Climbing Rangers, Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, and a California Highway Patrol helicopter crew.
The incident marks the latest rescue operation in the Northern California forest, where rescue teams respond to numerous incidents annually.
According to the mountain’s website, the route to the summit via Avalanche Gulch is steep and rigorous, requiring proper equipment and snow-travel skills.
Last September, three novice hikers were stranded overnight in a steep canyon after heavily relying on AI for information about the routes.
In late June, another 31-year-old novice climber was flown to a hospital after slipping and falling 1,500 feet.
