Missing Climber Found After 12-hour ‘Mega-Rescue’ on Mount Shasta
After a 12-hour-long rescue operation that started late Friday night, a climber who went missing on Mount Shasta has been found and is back home safe.
The Mount Shasta Avalanche Center & home of the Climbing Rangers’ Facebook page reported that the lost climber spent the night on the Whitney Glacier at 11,600 feet, enduring an open bivy.
“This is one of the most difficult and dangerous areas of the mountain to access, especially with the weather this weekend,” wrote the avalanche center on Facebook.
Due to extremely poor visibility, aerial resources were unable to assist in the rescue operation. However, USFS Climbing Rangers and Siskiyou County Search & Rescue were able to locate the climber alive and in “good shape.”
The climber’s name and additional details about the incident have not been released yet. This event serves as a reminder of the dangers that come with climbing and exploring mountains, and the importance of proper preparation and safety measures. Here are a few tips from the avalanche center after this scary event:
- Check the weather before you climb and don’t climb into a whiteout
- Don’t summit late in the day
- Don’t separate from your group
- Carry navigation tools and know how to use them
- Play the “what if” game and have a plan for when things don’t go as expected. A small bivy sack is a great thing to always have in your pack.
