Climber OK after Shasta mishap

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Climber OK after Shasta mishap MOUNT SHASTA - A 24-year-old California man was in fair condition Monday after sliding 2,000 feet down Mount Shasta. Siskiyou County sheriff's deputies said David Lowe of San Carlos lost his footing on the Hotlum-Wintun route on the east side of the mountain while descending from the summit with other members of his climbing party. He eventually came to rest at about 11,400 feet. Deputy Dave Nicholson said climbers with cell phones called for assistance about 12:30 p.m. and two helicopters were dispatched. Rescuers were airlifted to a site near Lowe and then climbed to him. He was airlifted to a landing zone at a lower altitude and then transported to Mercy Mount Shasta Medical Center just before dark. Hospital spokeswoman Sally Starling said Lowe suffered "major abrasions all over his body" and a puncture wound in the groin when he tried to stop his descent with an ice ax, but he came away from the accident with no broken bones. "He's a very fortunate gentleman," Starling said. Nicholson said another member of Lowe's climbing party, Jennifer Liu of San Jose, lost her bearings on the mountain while descending to the group's base camp to retrieve equipment. She was spotted by one of the helicopters in the Ash Creek drainage and flown to Siskiyou County Search and Rescue's base camp at the Weed airport.   Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.