A California climber who suffered significant injuries after falling 500 feet down Mount Shasta spent the night crawling to a remote cabin, where he was found by rescue crews the following day, forest officials said Friday.
The San Jose man, who was not identified, lost control while sliding down Avalanche Gulch, a steep, snow and ice-covered route, Thursday night after reaching the summit in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
“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.
Authorities added that the climber was unable to call for help because his cellphone died shortly after summiting.
Due to the painful swelling that occurred after the fall, the climber reportedly removed his boots and “crawled through the night” down the remainder of Avalanche Gulch to Horse Camp Cabin.
By the next day, his friends were unable to contact him and reported him missing to the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office.
Rescue teams and air support were mobilized across several agencies by 2 p.m. Friday, and began searching the Avalanche Gulch area, officials said.
Two hours later, they were alerted that the climber was inside Horse Camp Cabin after a hiker entered the cabin and found him there.
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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.
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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.
