Teen hiker recovering in an induced coma after altitude hallucinations caused him to fall 120 feet in the Sierra Nevada

Mount Whitney
Mount Whitney is 14,494ft (4,417m) tall (Image credit: Getty Images)

A teen climber is in a medically induced coma after hallucinations caused him to fall over 120ft in the Sierra Nevada.

Zane Wach, 14, was hiking with his father on the 14,494ft (4,417m) Mount Whitney, earlier this month, when he began hallucinating, likely due to the effects of altitude.

“He knew he was hallucinating. He said he saw things like snowmen and Kermit the frog," his father, Ryan, told SFGate.

Concerned for his son, Ryan opted to take him down to safety. The pair had already conquered the toughest parts of the route and headed down via an easier trail. But soon after saying that he wasn't sure whether he was dreaming, Zane walked to a staggered cliff edge and fell around 120ft (36.5m).

"I didn’t hear it until he was about at the edge, and when I went to reach for him, he was 10 feet away from me. I couldn’t get him, and he walked off the edge," continued Ryan.

Rescuers airlifted the boy to Sunrise Children’s Hospital in Las Vegas after the pair spent six traumatic hours on the peak. He was placed in a medically induced coma after suffering a severe head injury and breaking multiple bones.

Mount Whitney

Mount Whitney's rocky terrain makes it a popular hiking destination (stock image) (Image credit: Getty Images)

The incident occurred on June 10, and Zane has been recovering in hospital ever since. He's now been taken off a life-support ventilator, but remains in a coma while he's weaned off the powerful medication used to aid his recovery.

“He’s been on a lot of heavy drugs," explained Ryan, who's hopeful of a full recovery.

“Getting off those is extremely hard and painful. As parents, it’s terrible to watch.”

A GoFundMe campaign to support the Wach family's medical, travel, and lodging costs has since been set up and has raised over $34,000.

What is altitude sickness?

Altitude sickness is caused by rapid exposure to the low oxygen levels at altitude. Common symptoms include headaches, nausea, dizziness, and shortness of breath, but sufferers can sometimes experience more severe effects like hallucinations.

To mitigate the risks, climbers acclimatize to the low oxygen levels by spending time in the mountains or sleeping in hypoxic tents, which mimic the arduous alpine conditions and prepare their bodies for altitude.

Climber Akash Negi sits in a Hypoxic tent

Climber Akash Negi prepares to summit Everest in a Hypoxic tent (Image credit: Getty Images)

For more information, check out our expert guide to avoiding altitude sickness.


Will Symons
Staff Writer

Will Symons developed his love of the outdoors as a student, exploring every inch of Sussex’s South Downs national park and swimming off the Brighton seafront. Now a staff writer for Advnture, Will previously worked as a freelance journalist and writer, covering everything from cricket to ancient history. Like most Advnture staff, Will’s free time is rarely spent indoors, he can often be found hiking, open water swimming or playing cricket.