Climber injured in fall off cliff found after overnight search, CA rescuers say

A fall off a cliff while looking for his campsite seriously injured a climber on Mount Shasta, California sheriff’s officials reported.

Searchers found the injured man after an overnight search impeded by rain and snow, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office said in a Tuesday, Aug. 19, news release.

Two men reached the summit of Mount Shasta on Saturday, Aug. 16, but became disoriented at about 11,000 feet when they could not find their base camp, rescuers said.

One eventually found the camp but his 50-year-old climbing partner did not appear, rescuers said. After waiting more than an hour, he called 911 to report his climbing partner missing.

Searchers began looking for the missing climber but inclement weather prevented an aerial search, rescuers said.

Overnight, cold, rain and snow also impeded the search.

A California Highway Patrol officer spotted the missing climber at about 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 17, wedged between rocks and an ice sheet below a cliff, rescuers said.

Rescuers discovered the man had serious injuries, probably from a “substantial” fall the previous day, officials said.

A medical helicopter airlifted the man to a hospital for life-saving medical care, rescuers said.

Sheriff’s officials said it was the sixth call for help on the Clear Creek route on Mount Shasta in the past two weeks, underscoring the dangers of the mountain.

“Multiple hazards including falling rock, exposed cliff edges, difficult-to-navigate terrain, and the ever-present risk of rapidly changing weather can make this non-technical climb a perilous endeavor for any climber despite their skill and experience level,” officials said in the release.

Mount Shasta is about a 220-mile drive north from Sacramento.

This story was originally published August 20, 2025 at 10:22 AM with the headline "Climber injured in fall off cliff found after overnight search, CA rescuers say."