SISKIYOU COUNTY, Calif. – A man is dead after suffering a medical emergency during a climb on Mount Shasta Friday.
According to the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office, 49-year-old David Lopez of Campbell, California was with his climbing partner when he collapsed and became unresponsive near Lake Helen. His climbing partner began CPR immediately.
Police were notified when dispatch received a Garmin emergency notification at 9,500 feet up Avalanche Gulch just before 7 p.m.
Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue called in the help of the U.S. Forest Service Climbing Rangers as well as CHP’s Air Operations to assist with the rescue.
The climbing rangers along with search and rescue team members made their way toward Lopez’s location. The air operations team were unable to assist due to the onset of darkness.
Once Lopez and his climbing partner were located, rangers took over administering CPR however they were unable to resuscitate him.
Lopez was transported down to Bunny Flats where a sheriff’s deputy met rescuers at the trailhead, where Lopez was pronounced dead just before 11 p.m.
The cause and manner of death are pending an autopsy.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.