A climber had to be rescued from Mount Shasta on Sunday. The solo climber was descending down the very steep slope of Upper Avalanche Gulch using a technique called “glissading”. That means sliding in a seated position, usually on something smooth like a garbage bag or plastic sheet, and using an ice axe tucked under one elbow to control speed. The climber was near Redbanks at around 13,000 foot elevation when the ice axe was ripped from his hands, leaving him with no way to slow down. He tumbled head-over-heels several hundred feet and suffered a leg injury and multiple scrapes, cuts and bruises. A Forest Service Climbing Ranger was delivered by CHP helicopter to the injured man, who was then hoisted into the helicopter and flown to Mercy Mount Shasta.
-Steve Gibson