10/21/2026
TRAPPED ON A GLACIER: RESCUE ON MOUNT SHASTA
Shasta-Trinity National Forest climbing rangers, along with local and state cooperating agencies, successfully rescued an injured climber from the upper slopes of Mount Shasta after the climber became stranded for two days on the Whitney Glacier.
In what turned out to be a complicated and difficult operation, the climber, a 39-year-old Florida man, made it off the mountain Tuesday evening after injuring his leg on the glacier while downclimbing the mountain Sunday evening.
The climber ascended the mountain via the Avalanche Gulch route and summited the mountain later in the day Sunday. The climber told climbing rangers that his GPS navigation tool advised him to descend on the north side of the mountain – the opposite side in which he ascended – down the Whitney Glacier.
The climber did not have snow and ice equipment and was dressed in sweatpants and a hoodie. He did have a pair of trekking poles and a small amount of food and water.
While descending the glacier, he stepped through a thin snow bridge that concealed a crevasse, injuring his leg. The injury prevented him from descending further, prompting a call for help.
Due to lateness in the day and poor weather conditions, rescuers were unable to reach the climber Sunday night. The climber was forced to spend the night on Mount Shasta at 12,100 feet in what is known to be the coldest part of the mountain.
On Monday morning, two Forest Service climbing rangers were flown to Misery Hill near the Mount Shasta summit. They descended to the injured climber to give him first aid, warmer clothing, and food and water. They were also able to move the climber off the glacier and into a slightly more protected area behind a boulder.
Air rescue Monday night was not possible due to high winds, and climbing rangers couldn’t help the climber down by themselves. This forced the three of them to spend the night on the mountain – the second night for the injured climber.
By Tuesday, volunteers from Siskiyou, Trinity, Jackson, Marin and San Mateo counties’ search and rescue teams and the Bay Area Mountain Rescue team made its way up the mountain and met the climbing rangers and the injured climber that afternoon. Rescuers used a litter to transport the patient to the saddle between Mount Shasta and Shastina, a nearby sub-peak of Mount Shasta.
Despite hazardous winds, a California Highway Patrol helicopter was able to land at the saddle and fly the climber off the mountain. He was later taken to an area hospital for treatment for his injuries, which included frostbite to his foot and leg.
Rescuers descended on foot, with the last crew members arriving at the trailhead late Tuesday night.
THINGS TO KNOW
➡️Mount Shasta is not a hike, but a climb. It is a large and complicated mountain where route conditions and weather can change at any time. Research the mountain carefully.
➡️The Avalanche Gulch route is not recommended this time of year. Avalanche Gulch is best climbed in spring and early summer when snow is present and consolidated. Snow and ice gear – including crampons and an ice axe – are a must for people climbing any route where snow and ice is present. Clear Creek is the recommended route for summer and fall.
➡️Have a turnaround time and stick to it. If you are unable to reach the summit by noon, turn around. Climbing the mountain in dusk and nighttime conditions is not advised.
➡️Be prepared for the possibility of overnighting on the mountain. Circumstances may force you to spend the night on the mountain. Rescues take hours, and sometimes days. Have clothing and shelter available for an overnight stay, and enough food and water to tie you over until help can arrive.
➡️Have a plan for electronic communication and navigation failures. Batteries can die, and sometimes navigation apps give faulty information. Have a backup (paper maps) and familiarize yourself with the route before you go. Do everything you can to stay on your planned route.
➡️Let someone know where you’re going and when, and at what time you expect to be off the mountain. That way, authorities can be alerted more quickly if you are overdue.
➡️And remember: No summit is worth your life! Summitting is optional; getting down is mandatory.
