From Fox News · Bonny Chu · · 1m 10s
Climber crawls through night after 500-foot fall on Mount Shasta
A San Jose man survived a massive fall and spent hours crawling to safety after his phone died on the mountain.
In brief
A San Jose man survived a massive fall and spent hours crawling to safety after his phone died on the mountain. Always tell someone your hiking plans, carry backup navigation tools, and know your route well enough to find your way without electronics. Originally reported by Fox News.
500-foot fall down Mount Shasta
A San Jose climber lost control while glissading down Avalanche Gulch after summiting. He fell 500 feet, suffering severe lacerations and foot injuries.
Phone died, boots off, crawling
His cellphone died shortly after reaching the summit. Painful swelling forced him to remove his boots and crawl through the night to Horse Camp Cabin.
“The climber told rescuers that he had attempted to glissade down the mountain, lost control, and slid approximately 500 feet.”
Friends reported him missing
When they couldn't reach him the next day, his friends contacted the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office. Multiple agencies launched a search by 2 p.m. Friday.
Found alive in remote cabin
Two hours into the search, another hiker entered Horse Camp Cabin and discovered the injured climber inside. Rescue teams extracted him safely.
What he did right
Officials praised him for telling friends his plans, knowing the route well enough to navigate without a map, and attempting self-rescue despite serious injuries.
“Never rely solely on a GPS or phone to navigate, if those devices stop working, your own navigation skills will be critical.”
The bottom line
Always tell someone your hiking plans, carry backup navigation tools, and know your route well enough to find your way without electronics.
