16-Year-Old Rock Climber Miraculously Lives After Falling 500 Feet Down Icy Mountainside

By Amanda Thomason January 1, 2020 at 1:11pm

Those who hear the mountains calling and must go generally have their fair share of horror stories to tell. Many have a love for adventure and the unknown because of the danger that’s always lurking: The thrill and rush of adrenaline they experience when they beat the odds or maneuver a tricky climb is addicting.

Gurbaz Singh from Canada is one of those people. He’s only 16, and yet on Monday he led a group of climbers up Mount Hood in Oregon.

The climb is a tricky one, and requires skilled adventurers — but as his father told ABC News, Singh already had 97 summits under his belt. By all appearances, he was well-prepared to make the climb.

Conditions on the mountain were about what you would expect in the winter: Icy. Hikers know that one misplaced step can be the beginning of the end even in good weather conditions — but that doesn’t stop them from trying.

Our search and rescue coordinators are currently working to rescue a fallen climber on Mt Hood. Rescuers from Ptld Mountain Rescue, Hood River Crag Rats and @AMRHQ are currently on scene. The climber is in stable condition and is expected to be brought down by the rescue teams. pic.twitter.com/jjOf3I7uWl

— Clackamas Sheriff (@ClackCoSheriff) December 30, 2019

As the group approached the summit, Singh slipped and fell — and fell, and fell, for roughly 500 feet, before he was able to stop. He’d been near the top, known as the “Pearly Gates,” but after his misstep, he found himself with a broken leg in the area known as the “Devil’s Kitchen.”

The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Twitter account shared that several rescue teams were on the case, making the 10,500-foot climb to where Singh was located. He was stable, but without the use of his leg, he was stuck until help arrived.

MORE INFO: The 16-year-old climber fell from the Pearly Gates area of Mt. Hood (just below the final push to the summit) down to the Devil’s Kitchen.

(Map courtesy https://t.co/cwG946DJlQ ) pic.twitter.com/nXM6HQWyrd

— Clackamas Sheriff (@ClackCoSheriff) December 30, 2019

“MORE INFO: The first rescuers reached the injured climber at approximately 1 p.m.,” the sheriff’s office added in an update. “They began rendering care immediately, splinting the climber’s leg. After stabilizing the patient, the rescuers started making their way down with the patient about 10 minutes ago.”

“UPDATE: The 16-year-old injured climber has been safely transported to @timberlinelodge , where an @AMRHQ ambulance awaits,” the office later said. “Thanks to all the search volunteers who helped with this successful operation today.”

UPDATE: The 16-year-old injured climber has been safely transported to @timberlinelodge , where an @AMRHQ ambulance awaits.

Thanks to all the search volunteers who helped with this successful operation today. pic.twitter.com/o2n9GAgXrA

— Clackamas Sheriff (@ClackCoSheriff) December 31, 2019

As soon as Singh’s father, Rishamdeep, heard about the incident, he drove from Canada to Portland. He was glad his son is safe, and he knows the injury won’t keep him from trying again.

“He thought he was going to stop somewhere, and he was trying to arrest the fall with his ax, but it just didn’t happen because he was rolling so fast that he couldn’t do it,” the father told KATU.

“He’s OK with that; he’s not thinking much of it. He’s talking to family and friends. He’s in good spirits.”

“My family and my son want to thank everyone who helped rescue him, may the new year shower you with health and happiness. Because of you my son is in good spirits,” he added in a statement to ABC News. “This was to be his 98th summit … we will be back soon to finish the job. God Bless AMERICA!”

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