Shasta-Trinity National Forest

News Release

US Forest Service

Shasta-Trinity National Forest

Still no sign in search for missing climbers

MOUNT SHASTA, Calif. – The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Department is coordinating resources from agencies throughout California and Oregon today as they attempt to locate Patricia Giamoni of Apex, N.C. and Salvador Frias of Millbrae, Calif.

Giamoni and Frias called 911 from a cellular phone at about 9:25 p.m. Saturday to report they were on the summit of Mount Shasta in "100 mph winds and to send Mountain Rescue." The call was lost shortly after. Attempts by law enforcement officials to call back the cell phone were unsuccessful.

A helicopter from the Army National Guard out of Mather Air Force Base and one from the California Air National Guard out of Moffett Federal Airfield in Mountain View, Calif. were in the air searching the higher elevations of Mount Shasta today. A helicopter from the California Highway Patrol searched the lower sections of the mountain.

Additionally, four U.S. Forest Service Climbing Rangers from the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and four Siskiyou County Search and Rescue personnel were airlifted to 13,000 feet were they spent the day searching crevasses and snowbanks.

"While there are several non-technical routes on the mountain, Mount Shasta can be a very unforgiving mountain," said U.S. Forest Service Lead Climbing Ranger Eric White. "We are dealing with winds, snow, ice, loose volcanic rock, and temperatures and weather that can change quickly."

Incident Commander, Deputy Ken Robertson of the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Department was pleased with the response of resources from around the region to assist in the search.

"Agencies from Southern Oregon and throughout California have responded with personnel and equipment. Sheriff's Departments in Jackson and Josephine Counties in Oregon sent search and rescue resources along with Del Norte and Amador Counties in California, the California Highway Patrol, U.S. Forest Service, California Office of Emergency Services, CalTrans and the Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services."

Robertson went on to say that today there are over 44 searchers on the ground and in the air looking for these two missing people.

Relatives of Ms. Giamoni reported that this is her first climb of Mount Shasta.

"She hiked on Machu Picchu, in Peru once" stated her ex-husband Gabriel Machado of Sacramento. "She is a very strong and fit person" he went on to say.

Friends of Mr. Frias stated he has attempted to climb to the summit of Mount Shasta on at least four other occasions and has hiked and climbed on the mountain at least eight times before.

Deputy Robertson said that additional resource will arrive this evening to assist in the search.

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