A San Jose climber seriously hurt in a 500-foot fall on Northern California’s Mount Shasta survived a harrowing overnight trek, crawling to a secluded cabin before search crews located him the next day, forest officials said Friday.
The unidentified man had reached the summit Thursday night in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest when he began descending Avalanche Gulch, a notoriously steep route covered in snow and ice. Officials said he lost control while attempting to slide down the mountain.
“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.
His cellphone ran out of power soon after he reached the summit, leaving him unable to call for help, authorities said.
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)
With painful swelling setting in after the fall, the injured Mount Shasta climber took off his boots and, according to officials, “crawled through the night” along the rest of Avalanche Gulch until he reached Horse Camp Cabin.
When friends could not reach him the following day, they reported him missing to the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office.
By 2 p.m. Friday, multiple agencies had deployed rescue personnel and air support to search the Avalanche Gulch area, officials said.
About two hours into the search, crews learned that a hiker had entered Horse Camp Cabin and discovered the climber inside.
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)
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Officials used the incident to remind hikers to allow plenty of daylight for their hikes, establish a turnaround time around noon, carry backup electronics and be prepared to self-rescue.
“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 further commended the climber for notifying his friends of his whereabouts before he went missing.
“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.