Gurbaz Singh is thankful he害羞草研究所檚 alive to tell his story about falling down a mountain.

On Dec. 30, the Surrey teen was scaling Oregon害羞草研究所檚 Mount Hood with friends when he .

Surgically repaired the following day, the fractured femur is a reminder of the moment Gurbaz traversed an ice step that suddenly gave way, in an area known as the Pearly Gates.

害羞草研究所淚 was scouting it out and as I was going there, it was just so fast 害羞草研究所� everything broke and I was falling all of a sudden,害羞草研究所� Gurbaz said Saturday during an interview at his family害羞草研究所檚 townhouse. 害羞草研究所淚 had an axe and was checking it out, and then took a big step and that害羞草研究所檚 when I fell.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所� RELATED STORY: .

He tumbled a few times before he instinctively tried to slow his fall, by creating friction with the snow below him.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 remember much, but I remember getting my hands out and managed to slow myself down, and I think that helped because I did end up stopping eventually.

害羞草研究所淎ll I was thinking was, 害羞草研究所業 have to stop myself, I have to stop myself,害羞草研究所� and that害羞草研究所檚 what I learned in my training. If I kept going, eventually I would have went over a cliff, but I害羞草研究所檓 not certain about that,害羞草研究所� he added.

害羞草研究所淚 was lucky to have survived. It could have been a lot worse.害羞草研究所�

to see rescue video.

UPDATE: Rescuers are making their way down the mountain with the climber now. has a livestream here:

害羞草研究所� Clackamas Sheriff (@ClackCoSheriff)

Rescuers transported Gurbaz to a nearby lodge, and from there he was taken to hospital by ambulance.

At age 16, Gurbaz is already an experienced mountaineer who has done close to 100 peaks.

Over the past three years, his parents have done some hikes with him, but Gurbaz has progressed to join other, more experienced climbers on some adventures, including the one on Mount Hood.

害羞草研究所淚 used to be really fat and it was a weight-loss thing for me,害羞草研究所� Gurbaz said of his hobby, 害羞草研究所渁nd slowly I lost the weight and got some endurance and started doing higher peaks and more technical stuff, as I got more experienced.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 more mountaineering, I don害羞草研究所檛 climb with ropes that much,害羞草研究所� he added. 害羞草研究所淚 do what害羞草研究所檚 called , so I count how many peaks I do.害羞草研究所�

On New Year害羞草研究所檚 Day, fellow climber Mel Olson created an online fundraiser to help Gurbaz害羞草研究所檚 family pay for his hospital bills in Oregon.

害羞草研究所淲e hope he can go back to doing what he loves very soon,害羞草研究所� , which includes photos of his rescue. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e created this page to assist him and his family in coping with the aftermath of this tragic accident and to get him back up on his feet as soon as possible.害羞草研究所�

As of Monday, close to $9,000 has been raised on behalf of Rishamdeep Singh, Gurbaz害羞草研究所檚 father.

害羞草研究所淚t was a last-minute decision to go (to Mount Hood), so we tried to get insurance but couldn害羞草研究所檛,害羞草研究所� Gurbaz explained.

Rishamdeep said he has always encouraged his children to explore their passions and be independent.

害羞草研究所淚 know my son loves to climb and be on the mountains, so that害羞草研究所檚 what he will do,害羞草研究所� Rishamdeep said. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檒l take it slowly from here. This is his hobby, mountaineering and hiking, and apart from that he is also an honour-roll student in math and science. I害羞草研究所檓 very proud of him.害羞草研究所�

A Grade 11 student at Tamanawis Secondary, Gurbaz is a member of the school kabaddi team, and was a competitive chess player as a preteen, before he got into mountaineering.

Now he害羞草研究所檚 learned to adjust to life with crutches, for the time being.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 able to walk around a bit without crutches, and the pain害羞草研究所檚 gone down quite a bit, although it does hurt at night sometimes,害羞草研究所� Gurbaz reported. 害羞草研究所淭hey say I might be running by spring break, so we害羞草研究所檒l see 害羞草研究所� maybe April.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚 might slowly ease back into it (climbing). It was a scary experience,害羞草研究所� he continued. 害羞草研究所淔rom my experience I know this is an accident that could have happened to anyone,害羞草研究所� he continued. 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 think I made any mistakes, I was just scouting it out and taking it slow, and it was an accident. You can be driving in your car and get into an accident, right?害羞草研究所�

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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