Rescuers find missing climber clinging to California glacier in '12-hour mega rescue'
A climber was separated from their group while attempting to summit Mount Shasta on Friday. They had to spend the night on the Whitney Glacier with only an emergency shelter until rescuers hiked up the mountain in rough weather to located the lost climber and bring them back to safety.
Rescuers locate missing climber hanging onto California glacier
A climber was separated from their group while attempting to summit Mount Shasta, located in the Cascade Range of California. The climber hit whiteout conditions and spent one night alone on the Whitney Glacier. Siskiyou County Sheriff's Department Deputy Samuel Woods recounts the '12-hour mega rescue.'
WHITNEY GLACIER, Calif. – Rescuers finally brought a lost climber to safety on Saturday after what they called a "12-hour mega rescue."
The U.S. Forest Service Climbing Rangers and the Siskiyou County Sheriff Search and Rescue team were alerted that a climber was separated from their group and unaccounted for late Friday. The Mount Shasta Avalanche Center and Home of the Climbing Rangers said that the group attempted to summit Mount Shasta and hit whiteout/blinding conditions.
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A climbing ranger with full gear ready to search for the missing climber.
(Mount Shasta Avalanche Center & Home of the Climbing Rangers / FOX Weather)
The lost climber only had an open bivouac to spend the night on the Whitney Glacier, Mount Shasta's permanent ice and snow cover. The emergency cover with breathing holes had to withstand the frigid temperatures and light rain overnight at 11,600 feet.
"Bivy sacks are single-person, minimalist shelters that offer an additional layer of protection against the environment for you and your sleeping bag—think cowboy camping with a full-body shell," wrote MSR Gear in their online discussion.
Officials said that "extremely poor visibility" kept search planes and rescue helicopters grounded. Crews had to reach the climber on foot across the snowy and icy slopes.
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Weather conditions kept aircraft grounded.
(Mount Shasta Avalanche Center & Home of the Climbing Rangers / FOX Weather)
"USFS Climbing Rangers, in cooperation with Siskiyou County SAR, we’re able to locate the climber, alive and in remarkably good shape, and assist down the mountain to safety," they stated.
"Despite being 15 minutes off the interstate, a rescue on Mount Shasta is neither automatic or instant," officials continued. "Even rescues that seem straightforward involve planning, effort and risk."
The California center called the site where the climber was found "one of the most dangerous areas of the mountain to access," especially with the inclement weather.
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The summit of Mount Shasta.
(Mount Shasta Avalanche Center & Home of the Climbing Rangers / FOX Weather)
"The lower portion of the glacier is a jumbled cocktail of boulders, ice seracs, and crevasses that defy route finding. Further up, the glacier becomes more confined … with lots of exposure to rock fall," the center's website describes the hazards. "Be careful here."
The hike up and back down took rescuers 12 grueling hours.
Climbers do get caught in inclement weather on Mount Shasta with deadly consequences. Last spring, 4 climbers were injured, and one died on the icy slopes.
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The glacier's snow and ice.
(Mount Shasta Avalanche Center & Home of the Climbing Rangers / FOX Weather)