Climbing
Five injured climbers in critical condition had to be airlifted from Mount Shasta, CA, on Monday, according to a Facebook post from Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office. One of the climbers, who was later recognized to be a professional mountain guide with Shasta Mountain Guides, died as a result of her injuries.
Jillian Elizabeth Webster, 32, tumbled more than 1,000 feet down Mount Shasta during dangerously icy conditions from a late winter storm on Monday. Webster, of Redmond, Oregon, was tethered to two other people when they lost their footing and slid between 1,500 and 2,500 feet in an area known as “Avalanche Gulch,” according to a press release. The fall was reported at 8:35 a.m.
A nurse who was climbing nearby administered CPR to Webster, who was unresponsive, the sheriff’s office said. She was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Webster was in her fourth year working with Shasta Mountain Guides and was a “highly experienced, well-respected, and well-loved mountain professional,” the guiding service shared on its Facebook page. Shasta Mountain Guides wrote that Webster was a mountain guide, backpacking guide, ski patroller, had thru-hiked the PCT, recently rafted the Grand Canyon, and was pursuing a career in education.
She was “one of our best guides, and more importantly a wonderful person in every way,” the guiding service wrote in the same Facebook post, sharing their condolences for Webster.
My heart goes out to those touched by this loss. I hope over time we can learn more about what happened that day. For those of us that climb Shasta and other peaks, we can all learn and take protective measures when appropriate.
Pretty ice-cold take there ma dude. Have some respect. Pretty sure someone in their 4th year guiding isnt “figuring out the scope of their practice rules.”
We are local climber/skiers & are so sorry to hear of Webster’s passing. She was a skilled, dedicated guide/adventurer who lived and inspired many to live a brave life + went out doing what she loved the most. She will be very missed! Thank you to the rescuers & sympathies for all touched by this day.
Maybe we could save our judgement, offer some prayers of healing.
I’m sorry but being a ‘mountain guide’ in America doesn’t mean much. They’re just now figuring out their scope of practice rules. Many guide companies don’t want Ifmga guide’s because they have to pay them more. They want cookie cutter trustfund over stoked guides, that are just happy to be out of their east coast city, living the dream.