Climber tumbles hundreds of feet after losing ice ax, California rescuers say

A climber sliding down a snowy slope on Mount Shasta tumbled hundreds of feet after losing his ice ax, California rescuers reported.

The solo climber was glissading, or sliding down on the snow using his ice ax to control his speed, on Sunday, Aug. 10, the Shasta-Trinity National Forest said in a news release.

“In this case, the climber’s ice axe was ripped from his hands during the descent, leaving him unable to slow down,” rangers said in the release. The accident took place at an elevation of about 13,000 feet.

The man tumbled hundreds of feet down the mountain, suffering cuts, scrapes, bruises and a leg injury that left him unable to move, rangers said.

The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office and California Highway Patrol assisted in the rescue, with a CHP helicopter airlifting the injured climber to a hospital, rangers said.

He is expected to fully recover.

“This incident serves as a reminder that glissading, while appealing, carries inherent risks,” rangers warned in the release. “Safe glissading requires soft snow, a gentle slope with a clear run-out, and the use of proper technique.”

They also advised climbers to use caution and a slower pace when glissading, noting that “‘faster than walking’ is fast enough.”

Mount Shasta is a 14,179-foot mountain about a 220-mile drive north from Sacramento.

This story was originally published August 14, 2025 at 9:36 AM with the headline "Climber tumbles hundreds of feet after losing ice ax, California rescuers say."