A first-time climber's experience on Mount Shasta turned dangerous when he fell nearly 500 feet down the mountain and had to crawl to safety without a phone, food, water, or light. Zubayir Kazi, 24, reached the summit around 7:30 p.m. on September 10 after starting his climb early that morning. He had previously scouted part of the trail five days earlier but found the conditions to be more challenging than anticipated. Kazi stated, "It turned out to be much worse than I expected," in an interview with NBC Bay Area.
The incident occurred shortly after he summited when he lost his equipment and began sliding down the mountain. "Everything I had with me just goes out of my hand and I find myself flying down the mountain," Kazi recounted. The fall resulted in severe injuries and left him without the supplies necessary to call for help. With no phone or light and no food or water, Kazi felt compelled to keep moving downhill, fearing that stopping could be fatal.
He described his mindset during the ordeal: "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." Meanwhile, in San Jose, Kazi's mother grew concerned after losing contact with him and reached out to his friend Abdullah. This prompted search-and-rescue crews to begin a missing-person search. Kazi ultimately reached base camp, where another climber found him and provided food and water until rescuers arrived.
Once officers reached him, the severity of his injuries became clear. Kazi stated, "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.’" He suffered significant skin and nerve damage, along with serious internal complications, and doctors indicated he could have died within hours. His recovery is expected to take weeks. The US Forest Service advises that the route Kazi took is not recommended for novice climbers during this time of year due to rapidly changing conditions on Mount Shasta. Kazi emphasized the importance of understanding all safety requirements for such hikes and advised against climbing alone.