Mount Shasta rescue operation saves stranded hiker

A 39-year-old man from Florida was rescued after spending two nights stranded on Mount Shasta’s Whitney Glacier. The hiker, who had reached the 14,179-foot summit on Sunday, October 18, followed an erroneous GPS route that led him into a crevasse at approximately 12,600 feet. He fell through a snow bridge, severely injuring his leg and leaving him unable to walk.

Rescuers faced extreme conditions, including winds reaching 60 mph, falling rocks, and freezing temperatures. The climber was reportedly ill-equipped for overnight conditions, wearing only a sweatshirt, sweatpants, and running shoes. Two US Forest Service climbing rangers reached him on Monday morning to provide medical supplies and warmer clothing, staying with him through a second night as weather prevented aerial evacuation.

A large-scale rescue effort involving approximately 30 personnel from various agencies—including Siskiyou, Marin, San Mateo, and Trinity counties, as well as Jackson County—was required. The operation concluded with the man being extracted by a California Highway Patrol helicopter from Shastina peak.