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.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
Authorities added that the climber was unable to call for help because his cellphone died shortly after summiting.<\/p>\n
MOUNTAIN CLIMBER SURVIVES TERRIFYING 500-FOOT FALL IN CALIFORNIA’S SIERRA NEVADA, NIGHT STRANDED ON LEDGE<\/a><\/p>\n 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)<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n By the next day, his friends were unable to contact him and reported him missing to the Siskiyou County Sheriff\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n Rescue teams and air support were mobilized across several agencies by 2 p.m. Friday, and began searching the Avalanche Gulch area, officials said.<\/p>\n Two hours later, they were alerted that the climber was inside Horse Camp Cabin after a hiker entered the cabin and found him there.<\/p>\n MISSOURI DEPUTY AG, MISSING 6 DAYS AFTER SEEKING TO SUMMIT WYOMING’S TALLEST PEAK, IS FOUND ALIVE<\/a><\/p>\n 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)<\/p>\n 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n “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 \u2013 if those devices stop working, your own navigation skills will be critical in ensuring a safe return home,” officials said.<\/p>\n They further commended the climber for notifying his friends of his whereabouts before he went missing.<\/p>\n “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.<\/p>\n CLIMBER STRANDED ON 6-INCH LEDGE AT 11,000 FEET AS 46 MPH WINDS GROUND RESCUE HELICOPTER<\/a><\/p>\n Friends contacted authorities after the climber failed to check in, prompting a multi-agency search near Mount Shasta. (U.S. Forest Service \u2014 Shasta-Trinity National Forest)<\/p>\n![\"rescuers](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/shasta-mount.jpg\")
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