Thanks for sharing your story.

Just crazy. I'm really curious if Charity told you her take on what happened?

Was she hiding from rescuers?

Clmbr you realize you speak in third person a lot yeah?

powderjunkie wrote:Thanks for sharing your story.

Just crazy. I'm really curious if Charity told you her take on what happened?

Was she hiding from rescuers?

Thank you for reading.

Yes, she told me many things. I just don’t want to comment on that (definitely not yet). However, she was not hiding from anyone, on the contrary. But it would be better if she speaks out herself. It might restrain some people from going unprepared and counting on luck and a quick rescue.

Matt Lemke wrote:Clmbr you realize you speak in third person a lot yeah?

Not anymore. Now it's official.

powderjunkie is right. How is it she didn't run out and wave at all the helicopters flying over for two days? Where was she during that time... because surely she saw them. Where was she? Not that hard to be spotted and it seems would have to be actively avoiding them for it to take this long to find someone on that route.

And you said the tent was not hers but you packed it out. So it was someone else's right? And you stole it?

mrchad9 wrote:powderjunkie is right. How is it she didn't run out and wave at all the helicopters flying over for two days? Where was she during that time... because surely she saw them. Where was she? Not that hard to be spotted and it seems would have to be actively avoiding them for it to take this long to find someone on that route.

And you said the tent was not hers but you packed it out. So it was someone else's right? And you stole it?

How come I noticed her with no problem? I even saw a helicopter searching this terrain when I was there... and they did not see her...

The tent Charity was nearby belonged to a hiker who was on vacation and scoring the summit. I did not take that tent. That person came back to the tent shortly before the helicopter arrived, packed and took it down. We were hiking out together but only to the forest till I stopped to pack Heather's tent. This is another story I don’t want to mix now. “Telling this story I left out many details and emotional aspects to primarily focus on the most important facts, points and keeping it reasonably short.”

That is a classic story, you see it all on some of those peaks in California. I had fun today looking after a small girl who slipped and fell some 2000 feet, I don't think I have seen anybody slide as fast as her before, she was sliding like a bullet, the poor girl was only ten or twelve, she was pretty shaken up.

clmbr wrote:

mrchad9 wrote:powderjunkie is right. How is it she didn't run out and wave at all the helicopters flying over for two days? Where was she during that time... because surely she saw them. Where was she? Not that hard to be spotted and it seems would have to be actively avoiding them for it to take this long to find someone on that route.

And you said the tent was not hers but you packed it out. So it was someone else's right? And you stole it?

How come I noticed her with no problem? I even saw a helicopter searching this terrain when I was there... and they did not see her...

The tent Charity was nearby belonged to a hiker who was on vacation and scoring the summit. I did not take that tent. That person came back to the tent shortly before the helicopter arrived, packed and took it down. We were hiking out together but only to the forest till I stopped to pack Heather's tent. This is another story I don’t want to mix now. “Telling this story I left out many details and emotional aspects to primarily focus on the most important facts, points and keeping it reasonably short.”

It was a good story mate, it will be interesting to hear the horror of it when you tell the story years down the track.

How many times do you think you have already told this story?

clmbr wrote:“Telling this story I left out many details and emotional aspects to primarily focus on the most important facts, points and keeping it reasonably short.”

I think that is the point... you left out a lot of the details and the apparently emotional aspects that include what we see as the most important facts and points. The prelude is not really all that critical... or what you were doing while helicopters were buzzing around. What is more important is what she was doing all that time...

Mr. Chad has a valid point here. A lot of us want to know what Charity was actually doing when you found her. Did she have hypothermia or perhaps was in shock?

She should have went to the hospital for observation. What was her reason for not wanting to be "checked out" at the hospital ??? Sorry, but please fill in the blanks.

Inquiring minds want to know. (Did she actually hear or see the helicopters, or was she completely "blanked out ")

lcarreau wrote:Mr. Chad has a valid point here. A lot of us want to know what Charity was actually doing when you found her. Did she have hypothermia or perhaps was in shock?

She should have went to the hospital for observation. What was her reason for not wanting to be "checked out" at the hospital ??? Sorry, but please fill in the blanks.

Inquiring minds want to know. (Did she actually hear or see the helicopters, or was she completely "blanked out ")

Sounds like she was going to 'pirate' the summit (sans permit), so maybe was reluctant to be contacted by authorities while above the 10k line?

.
Most answers to your questions are already in the story.

clmbr wrote:A few facts and the timeline:

After starting the summit attempt she stayed on the mountain two nights and three days.

Night One:
There were two 911 calls to initiate the rescue, one from the lost hiker (she had a phone and reception) and one from the climber who later found her (once he got to the highway and got reception).

Day Three:
After the same climber who made the initial call found her on the rocks, he made a second 911 call so the helicopter could come and get her to “safety”.

clmbr wrote:Yes, she told me many things. I just don’t want to comment on that (definitely not yet). However, she was not hiding from anyone, on the contrary. But it would be better if she speaks out herself. It might restrain some people from going unprepared and counting on luck and a quick rescue.

clmbr wrote:How come I noticed her with no problem? I even saw a helicopter searching this terrain when I was there... and they did not see her...

The tent Charity was nearby belonged to a hiker who was on vacation and scoring the summit. I did not take that tent. That person came back to the tent shortly before the helicopter arrived, packed and took it down. We were hiking out together but only to the forest till I stopped to pack Heather's tent. This is another story I don’t want to mix now. “Telling this story I left out many details and emotional aspects to primarily focus on the most important facts, points and keeping it reasonably short.”

“...I noticed a girl, dressed rather for the city than this big volcano, seating on the dusty ground with her legs stretched out but one crossed over the other to keep them warm, and resting her back on a piece of 90 deg curved, vertically oriented flat rock with a little comfort. Shivering, she stared at me with disbelief but hope. “

“She was exhausted, cold, and shaking. She was thirsty and hungry.”

"First I gave her an energy drink I carried just for her for a quick recovery. Then I gave her all my jackets (down jacket, flees, and Gore-Tex wind jacket) and gloves to keep her warm. She was so weak and fragile I had to gently help her to put them on."

"Then I set down on the rock next to her to transfer my body's heat warming her up and called 911."

“I gave her a protein bar and made her Hot Chocolate. She liked anything I gave her to drink, to eat and to keep her warm. At that point she was very cooperative.”

"She did not want to be lifted off the mountain by a helicopter; she wanted to walk down with me."

Yes, after I took care of her she regained strength, got warm, and was capable of walking and she waked down till the helicopter action stopped us.

As of hospital: I asked my wife to contact a local hospital(s) and no one was brought that night from Mt Shasta rescue. She later confirmed they did not take her to the hospital. She was briefly checked by a medical person at the base. I think it might be also mentioned in some media too that they were reunited at the Sheriff base (in the forest).

Red Banks are on the other side of Mt Shasta and a couple thousand feet higher than she was lifted off by a helicopter.

Charity Stevens is a spiritual, strong minded woman and that was crucial for her to survive three days and two nights on a big volcano on rocks in a high altitude without proper clothes, no gear, very limited food, and no water just eating snow (this hike was supposed to last just one day or even a half). Due to lack of proper experience she was confused how to get out of the mountain by herself and, fortunately (or as some would say thanks God), she stayed in a simple to locate her area all the time, climbing up and down the slopes to keep her warm at night. She did not do anything additional that would endanger her life (e.g. climbing steep snowy slopes, entering glaciers, etc). She saw many helicopters and some people too. She waived and yelled. When she found the tent on the third day in the morning it was her last hope to be found (She did not get inside the tent; she was outside all the times). The third night, however, could have tragic consequences. But you know the rest.

It was a huge coincident (and a chain of various unplanned events leading me to the right place at the right time) I was around and met them. However, I feel blessed being dragged in to this tale and, undeniably, relived founding Charity alive. But my story is simple. Her story, the story she told me was very emotional. I’m hoping one day she might want to share it.


Here is, however, my still UNANSWERED question (I believe her too and as yours just from different angle) and the primary reason why I immediately decided to search for her:

clmbr wrote:The real question is, however, why the hell the missing girl was not found the first day of the search. All f… day and another day!!!!!!! Please don't try to explain because I'm still upset.

Although I also want to be filled in the blanks, perhaps more than anyone also, I don’t think I would ever get any rational answer but you may try by inquiring the Sheriff or Mt Shasta Rangers if you think learning the truth or making the facts straight is important or, perhaps, just to satisfy your curiosity.

Siskiyou County Sheriff Department
**SEARCH UPDATE**
https://www.facebook.com/SiskiyouCountySheriff/posts/2044521522240593

Mount Shasta Avalanche Center & Home of the Climbing Rangers
https://www.facebook.com/shastaavalanche/

or simply ask any Media which reported on this event:
Google search for “charity stevens Shasta”

This has been a fascinating story.

I, too, am curious why she wasn't required to be checked out. It's not necessarily her decision to make. After three days with minimal gear and a questionable state of mind, she should have been given the once-over by a doctor and perhaps a psychiatrist observation. The Sheriff probably would have demanded it if only to avoid further liability.

Her actions and movements and state of mind are as important to this whole situation as the surrounding rescues. The rescue team will certainly be parsing this for months and it's reasonable that she give her side of the story.

surgent wrote:psychiatrist

yes it has reached that point lol

Man, if they can't find some chick on the clearcreek route then the would have no show of finding Chad if he got lost over the back.