Two mountaineers seeking a snowboarding descent from California’s Mount Shasta were swept away by an avalanche over the weekend. A harrowing 11-hour rescue effort brought them to safety, underscoring the mountain’s inherent dangers.
The pair, described as seasoned climbers, were attempting the summit on Saturday when disaster struck. A colossal avalanche engulfed them, sending one tumbling a staggering 1,000 feet down the aptly named Avalanche Gulch, according to the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO).
Shortly before midday, a frantic 911 call reached the SCSO. One injured climber reported being stranded at a perilous 12,200 feet, with his companion buried even further down the treacherous slope.
Helicopter deployment, the ideal solution, faced a formidable obstacle – harsh winds and limited visibility. This forced a ground rescue operation, a race against time. The SCSO Search and Rescue Team joined forces with US Forest Service Climbing Rangers and a crew of volunteer mountain guides.
A temporary break in the weather offered a window of opportunity. The helicopter managed to land just above the tree line, still a significant 6,000 feet below the stranded climbers. With nightfall approaching, rescuers embarked on a grueling ascent on foot.
Their perseverance paid off. By midnight, they had reached the injured men and secured them for transport. Both climbers, despite their expertise, sustained injuries. One suffered a knee issue, while the other bore the brunt of the avalanche’s fury – a broken femur and a deep puncture wound. Thankfully, their injuries were not life-threatening, and they were recovering in a local hospital.
The SCSO emphasized, “it’s worth noting that the two climbers caught in the April 27 avalanche were highly skilled mountaineers with extensive experience on Mount Shasta.”
“Their ordeal and the 11-hour rescue process that followed are reminders that no amount of experience makes one immune to the hazards encountered on Mount Shasta, and that ever-changing mountain conditions can turn a rapid-extraction operations into a time and resource-intensive process,” the department concluded.
The authorities withheld the names of the climbers involved.
