A 31 year old young man fell from a height of 457 metros in it monte Shastaa popular mountaineering destination located at the southern end of the Cascade Range, north of California. A group of rescuers came after receiving the call for help in the midst of adverse weather conditions.
The ranger service of the United States Forest Service shared the operation on its Facebook account with several photos that reflect the complexity of the operation. They had to reach the woman on foot because the helicopter could not land due to cloud cover.
Mount Shasta is an imposing active stratovolcanoconsidered the largest active volcano in the state of Californiawith an elevation of 4,322 meters, also making it the fifth highest peak in California.
Its last eruption occurred in 1786. It became active at least once every 800 years during the last 10,000 years, but its eruptive frequency increased to every 250 years during the last 750 years. It is currently monitored by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) due to its risk potential.
The mountain is part of the Shasta-Trinity National Forestnear the city of Redding. Also famous for its spiritual legends and sightings, many nature enthusiasts practice skiing, hiking and mountaineering.
How was the rescue on Mount Shasta: the woman fell 457 meters down a vertical slope
The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team notified Chief Climbing Ranger Nick Meyers of the incident around 12 noon on Sunday, June 28.
Three mountain climbing rangers responded to the scene with the help of the California Highway Patrol. The victim was part of a group of three others novice climbers who ascended through the variant Left of Heart of the route Avalanche Gulch in the mountain
The woman fell about 457 vertical meters, from approximately 3,658 meters to approximately 3,500 metersaccording to expert estimates.
Another climber, who was not part of the group, was near the place where she fell, was able to give notice and remain with her until the arrival of emergency services.
The cloud cover made it difficult for the helicopter to access, so one of the rescuers descended on foot with extreme caution until he found her. Together with another member of the woman’s climbing group, they put her on the rescue team.
After being secured on a SKED rescue stretcher, she was transported to Lake Helen, where the medical helicopter was waiting and at 5:30 p.m. that same Sunday she was transferred to the nearest hospital for further treatment.
«When we found her, the woman was conscious and in good spirits, despite suffering a possible fracture in her right ankle and other injuries compatible with the strong fall,» they indicated in the statement shared on Facebook.
Time was a key factor, as the victim spent five hours in total waiting for rescue. «This incident serves as an important reminder that Mount Shasta is a high mountain environment, not a simple hike,» they said in the same post.
«Even experienced climbers can encounter sudden weather changes, pronounced snow and ice, rockfalls, and dangerous falling conditions,» they detailed.
Rescuers and mountaineering experts provided five recommendations for anyone interested in climbing mountains: pay attention to the weather and climbing conditions; that you carry the appropriate mountaineering equipment; let him climb with experienced companions; prepare for emergencies; and above all, be honest about your experience and physical condition.
