The San Jose man who survived a nearly 500-foot slide down after summiting Mount Shasta earlier this month shared his story.
Zubayir Kazi, 24, says he knew he was taking on a serious challenge when he decided to climb Mount Shasta. What he didn’t expect were the conditions he encountered on the way up, or what would happen on the way down.
“I was woken up to the entire cabin buzzing for the helicopter that was landing… and I thought, they couldn’t be here for me, could they?” Kazi said.
Just hours earlier, Kazi was alone on Mount Shasta. It was hist first icy summit and his fitst actual climb.
Five days before the climb, he hiked part of the trail to get a better understanding of how conditions would be like.
He says he felt prepared, but on Sept. 10, the day of the climb, he says, “It turned out to be much worse than I expected.”
Kazi says he started early in the morning, finally reaching the summit around 7:30 p.m. He texted friends, warning them just how difficult the climb had been.
Shortly after summitting, he began his treacherous descent.
“Everything I had with me just goes out of my hand and I find myself flying down the mountain,” he said.
He had no food, water, phone, light nor a way to call for help.
“My mentality became very one dimensional. I don’t know what’s the optimal thing to do, but I just know that I have to go lower because if I stay here and fall asleep, I’m going to die,” Kazi said.
Meanwhile, back home in San Jose, his friend Abdullah was getting worried.
“His mother reached out to me concerned, like ‘he went on a mountain, do you know if he’s OK?’,” Abdullah said.
Hours passed and Abdullah had not heard anything from Kazi. That’s when rescued teams were called.
Search and Rescue Crews started a missing person’s search when, thankfully, word came that Kazi had somehow managed to make it to base camp.
He was found by another climber, who helped provide him with food and water until help arrived.
“When the officers came in, it was the first time I really realized how badly I was injured. They said ‘You have no skin behind your leg’,” Kazi said.
Kazi suffered significant skin and nerve damage — and serious internal complications from the 500-foot slide and his decision to literally crawl off the mountain.
Doctors told him he could have died within hours.
The U.S. Forest Service says the route Kazi took is not recommended this time of year, especially for novice climbers.
They say conditions on Mount Shasta can change quickly and an accident can happen even when a climber thinks they’re prepared.
Kazi says the experience has changed the way he looks at mountain climbing and has a message for anyone thinking about a similar adventure.
“It is very important to fully and properly account for all of the requirements and safety considerations necessary to complete a hike like this and not miss a single one — and I’d say to definitely not go alone,” Kazi said.
Kazi says it’ll take weeks to recover from his injuries. He says he’s grateful for the people who helped get him off the mountain and for the chance to tell this story.
His story also serves as a great reminder to never hike alone and to always come prepared.