A San Jose climber survived a reported 500-foot slide on Mount Shasta, then crawled through the night to a cabin where rescuers found him.
Story Highlights
- Climber lost control while glissading and slid about 500 feet, injuring his feet.
- With no working phone, he removed his boots and crawled overnight to Horse Camp Cabin.
- A hiker found him the next afternoon; a helicopter flew him to a hospital.
- Officials warn glissading on firm snow can turn deadly without control or proper technique.
Mount Shasta Fall And Overnight Crawl To Safety
Rescuers said a San Jose climber tried to glissade down Mount Shasta’s Avalanche Gulch, lost control, and slid roughly 500 feet. During the fall, he suffered significant cuts and severe foot injuries, according to officials. After his phone died, he could not call for help. He removed his boots due to swelling and pain, then crawled through the night toward Horse Camp Cabin. He reached the shelter and waited for help until another hiker arrived the next day.
Search teams had already been alerted after friends reported him missing. The hiker who found him contacted rangers. Crews moved in and coordinated an air rescue. A helicopter then flew the injured man to a hospital for treatment. Officials described the injuries as serious but survivable. Authorities did not release his name. This sequence matched other recent rescues on the mountain tied to loss of control on snow during descent.
What Glissading Is And Why It Goes Wrong
Glissading is a seated slide down a snow slope used by climbers to descend faster. On soft snow, with control, it can work. On firm or icy snow, speeds spike fast and stops become hard. The Mount Shasta Avalanche Center warns climbers to avoid firm snow, take off crampons, and control speed if they choose to glissade. The center repeats these points in regular advisories because many rescues follow that same error chain on this peak.
Local incident digests show repeated cases on Avalanche Gulch where climbers attempt a slide, cannot arrest, and end up far downslope with injuries. Those patterns are not new. The advice is simple: assess conditions, do not glissade when snow is hard, and know how to self-arrest with an ice axe. Rescuers also remind people to start and finish early, when snow is softer, and to carry a working light, map, and emergency gear.
Safety Lessons For Weekend Climbers
This rescue highlights practical steps that help anyone who hikes on spring or summer snow. Check the forecast and local climbing report before you go. Plan your turnaround time to beat afternoon firming and rockfall. Keep your group together and share the route plan with a trusted contact. Pack layers, food, water, headlamp, and a first aid kit. Carry a map and compass. A charged phone helps, but a dead battery should not end your options for navigation or signaling.
Officials stressed that technique and judgment matter more than gadgets. If you choose to glissade, pick soft snow with a safe runout, remove crampons, and keep speeds low so you can stop. If conditions are wrong, walk down. That choice can prevent a fast slide, a broken body, and a risky rescue. As this case shows, one bad move can turn a descent into a long night on the ground and an airlift off the mountain.
Sources:
nypost.com, ktvu.com, sfgate.com, shastaavalanche.org, ground.news
