2009 Accidents/Incidents on Shasta

[Tim]

And I thought the craziness in the Bowl was bad...

2009 Season
Under construction
So far...
1/18 Avalanche Gulch, ankle fracture & other minor injuries. Climber attempted to glissade on hard snow with crampons on, beginning at 11,500 ft. He quickly lost control and went into a slide/tumble for 500 vertical feet. He was assisted by another climbing party and some local skiers/snowboarders to lower elevations where he was transported by toboggan by a USFS Climbing Ranger to the trailhead.
4/19 West Face. Skier injured knee while descending in soft snow near the bottom of the West Face gulley. She was assisted by her party to Giddy Giddy Gulch where SAR volunteers and Climbing Rangers assisted her into CHP Helicopter for transport just before dark.
5/9 Avalanche Gulch. Four skiers triggered a slide on lower Casaval Ridge, approx. 9,400' elevation, southerly aspect; crown approx. 1 foot deep and 250 feet wide; ran over 1000 feet. One in the party was caught and carried, one was knocked down but not carried- none were buried.
5/9 Avalanche Gulch. One skier/climber triggered another slide on lower Casaval Ridge, approx. 9,200', southerly aspect; crown approx. 1 foot deep and 400' wide; ran over 1,000' ft. Climber was carried to bottom of debris field, but not buried.
5/9 Avalanche Gulch. Snowboarder triggered another slide on lower Casaval Ridge, approx. 9,300', southerly aspect; crown approx. 1 foot deep and 500' wide; ran over 1,000' ft. Incredibly, he was not caught.
5/9 Avalanche Gulch proper. Snowboarder triggered a slide in the Gulch proper @ approx. 8,800', southerly aspect; crown approx. 1 foot deep and 150 feet wide; ran over 300 ft. He was not caught.
5/2 Bunny Flat/Sand Flat Search for missing climber. Climber/Skier became lost on descent from the Summit of Mt Shasta. His partner reported him missing to Climbing Rangers at approx 530pm. Climbing Rangers contacted him via cell phone and located his position- he was skiing away from Bunny Flat. Climbing Rangers transported him back to Bunny on snowmachines at approx. 730pm.
5/9 Avalanche Gulch- Lake Helen. Distressed climber- shortness of breath, elevated pulse, distressed mental state. Party requested Climbing Ranger assistance. Ranger assisted in carrying climbers gear and accompanying climber to Bunny Flat.
5/9 Lake Helen- 10,400'. 35 year old male complaining of chest pain and shortness of breath- party requests assistance. Climbing Ranger descended with party and helped carry subjects equipment to Bunny Flat.
5/9 Avalanche Gulch- right side of the Heart(11,800'). Climber tumbled over 1,000'. Incident was reported via cell as climbing fall. Climbing Rangers were nearby and responded, located subject and determined that he had sustained no major injuries.
5/18 Lake Helen- 10,400'. 35 year old male and 33 year old female, complaining of severe exhausition, requested assistance from Climbing Ranger at Lake Helen. Ranger assisted party in carrying gear down to Bunny Flat.
5/24 Misery Hill- 13,600'. Climber injured knee while descending Misery Hill. Climbing Ranger and guide from another party splinted her knee and lowered her to Lake Helen. The next morning. Rangers lowered subject to Spring Hill, where they were met and further assisted by Siskiyou County SAR. Subject was transferred into Forest Service toboggan and slid to Bunny Flat.
5/24 Lake Helen-10,400'. 52 year old male sprained ankle while glissading. Climbing Ranger assessed injury, taped the ankle and the subject continued down with help form his party.
5/30 Red Banks- 12,400'. Climbing Ranger stopped two out of control climbers sliding through the Red Banks. Ranger assisted them through the remainder of the chimney.
5/31 Red Banks- 12,400'. Climbing Ranger assisted climber with descent of the chimney.
6/4 Horse Camp Trail- 7,800'. 52 year old male was hiking the trail with the intention of camping on Mt Shasta and climbing to the summit the next day. He collapsed just below Horse Camp of an apparent heart attack. CPR was initiated by his partner and bystanders and continued when emergency personnel arrived on scene, but he could not be resuscitated.
6/7 Avalanche Gulch- 11,500'. 46 year old male was glissading down Avalanche Gulch with crampons on. A crampon caught on the snow and the subject sustained open fractures to his tibia and fibula. Bystanders- including two MD's and several climbing guides- called 911 and stabilized the subject. Three climbing rangers reponded to the scene with rescue gear and packaged the subject for transport. CHP Helicopter H-16 hoisted the subject from the Mountain @ 11,500' and transported him to Mercy Mt Shasta for treatment.
6/28 Summit Plateau- 14,000'. Climbing Ranger assisted 30 year old male suffering from the early stages of snowblindness- the climber wore no sunglasses during his two day climb.
6/28 Red Banks- 12,400'. After observing several climbers sliding out of control through the Red Banks chimney, Climber Rangers instruct several dozen climbers in proper use of the ice axe.
6/28 Red Banks- 12,500'. 32 year old female became extremely frightened while descending through the chimney. Climbing Ranger assisted climber with her descent.
6/28 50/50 Flat- 9,700'. 70 year old male suffering from severe dehydration and exhaustion. Climbing Rangers assisted party in locating camp, assessing subject and providing electrolyte products. Subject walked out under his own power the following day.
7/5 Misery Hill- 13,200'. 69 year old male suffering from severe exhaustion and AMS. Subject had no previous training with ice axe or crampons. Climbing Ranger assisted subject from Misery Hill to Horse Camp.
7/11 Lake Helen- 10,400'. 14 year old male complaining of severe chest pain and difficulty breathing. ascending near Lake Helen. He desecended with his guide and Climbing Rangers met him at Horse Camp to assess condition. Subject improved with descent. Rangers escorted subject to Bunny Flat, notified parents and recommended that he see a physician.
7/24 Lake Helen- 10,400'. 40 year old male succumbed to severe AMS @ Lake Helen. Sympons included: difficulty breathing, severe cramping, chest pain, disorientation, spasms, elevated pulse, etc. His party called 911 for assistance @ 2100 hours. Climbing Ranger and Cal Fire paramedic and firefighter hiked to Lake Helen that night with bottled oxygen. Patient improved w/ oxygen. By morning he was able to slowly walkout w/ assistance.
8/1 Red Banks(just below)- 12,400'. 46 year old female fell below just below the Red Banks and a party member dove on top of her to stop her fall. In the process, he cut her thigh with his crampon- producing a 2 1/2" laceration. Climbing Ranger met subject just below Lake Helen; assessed condition, carried her gear and escorted her to Bunny Flat.
8/8 Panther Meadow- 7,700'. 66 year old female reported 2 hours overdue. Rangers found her in the upper meadow, with no apparent illness/injury.
9/9 Green Butte Ridge- 10,800'. 48 year old male climbed into the Old Ski Bowl at night and eventually became stranded on a cliff band and requested assistance. Siskiyou County SAR personnel maintained contact with the subject and located his position. Climbing Ranger hiked and climbed to his location @ 10,800' and then carefully guided the subject down via a safer route.
10/11 Avalanche Gulch- 6,900'. Hiker became disoriented while descending and could not locate the trail back to Bunny Flat. Subject called 911 on his cell phone and asked for directions. Sheriff's Deputy responded to Bunny Flat and determined that the subject was on the Sand Flat road and drove down and picked him up there.
10/11 Clear Creek- 12,800'. 40 year old male sustained a lower leg fracture descending @ midday. Climbing Ranger was dispatched from near the springs @ 8,300', climbed to the victims location and prepped him for helicopter evacuation. CHP Helicopter H-16 flew to the site, hoisted the subject and flew him to Mercy Mt Shasta for treatment.

[tinaballina]

WOW and i am actually going to shasta thursday night. wish me luck.

[Tim]

WOW and i am actually going to shasta thursday night. wish me luck.

Good luck and have a safe climb!

[tinaballina]

thank you tim.

[Taco]

Be ready to dodge incoming climbers. Best o' luck, Tina.