Climber Survives 500-Foot Plunge Down Mount Shasta, Crawls to Safety

A first-time climber’s adventure on Mount Shasta turned perilous when he fell nearly 500 feet down the mountain, subsequently crawling for hours to reach safety with severe injuries and no supplies.

Zubayir Kazi, 24, reached the summit around 7:30 p.m. on September 10 after beginning his ascent early that morning. Although he had scouted part of the trail days prior, the conditions encountered during the climb were significantly more challenging than anticipated.

“It turned out to be much worse than I expected,” Kazi told NBC Bay Area. The real danger emerged during his descent. Shortly after reaching the peak, Kazi lost his equipment, which initiated a slide down the mountain.

“Everything I had with me just goes out of my hand and I find myself flying down the mountain,” he recounted. The fall left him badly injured and without essential survival gear, including a phone, food, water, or light.

Driven by the fear that stopping could be fatal, Kazi began to crawl downhill. “My mentality became very one dimensional. I don’t know what’s the optimal thing to do, but I just know that I have to go lower because if I stay here and fall asleep, I’m going to die,” he said.

Meanwhile, back in San Jose, Kazi’s mother alerted his friend Abdullah after losing contact. As the hours passed, search-and-rescue teams were mobilized.

Kazi eventually reached base camp, where another climber found him and provided him with food and water until rescuers arrived. The extent of his injuries became apparent to him only when officers reached him. “When the officers came in, it was the first time I really realized how badly I was injured. They said ‘You have no skin behind your leg’,” Kazi stated.

He suffered significant skin and nerve damage, along with internal complications. Doctors informed him that he was hours away from death, and his recovery is expected to take weeks. The US Forest Service noted that the route Kazi took is not recommended during this time of year, especially for novice climbers, due to the mountain's rapidly changing conditions and the potential for accidents.

Kazi emphasized the importance of thorough preparation and safety measures, advising against climbing alone. "It is very important to fully and properly account for all of the requirements and safety considerations necessary to complete a hike like this and not miss a single one — and I’d say to definitely not go alone."