A young teen was hiking Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States, with his father when he hallucinated due to altitude sickness and walked off a cliff. Zane Wach, 14, survived the fall from a 120-foot trail ledge, and he is now in a coma. A recent update from the family suggests Wach is now off a ventilator and breathing on his own. The family is hopeful that this sign of improvement will be the first of many to come.
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Altitude sickness or acute mountain sickness can affect hikers, climbers, and others who recreate at high altitudes, usually above 8,000 feet (2,400 meters). Mount Whitney, which is part of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California, tops out at 14,505 feet. However, most people who summit Whitney do so without supplemental oxygen.
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Reports suggest that the father, Ryan Wach, realized his son was showing signs of altitude sickness after their ascent, and he was trying to get his son down the mountain safely. Zane Wach was experiencing intense hallucinations, a known but relatively rare symptom of exposure to high altitudes, claiming he could see things like snowmen and Kermit the Frog. Despite Ryan’s best efforts to contain his son, Zane walked off a ledge in a split second.
Ryan was able to reach his son and stay with him while they waited for rescue crews, which ultimately transported Zane to the hospital. Though still in a coma, Zane’s family believes this will be a survival story. The public has helped them raise over $36,000.
Learn more about the teen who hallucinated from altitude sickness and walked off a cliff here:
Ryan Wach still isn't entirely sure what compelled his 14-year-old son Zane Wach to walk off the edge of a cliff, but he hopes the boy will be able to tell his own tale soon. (📷️: Facebook) https://t.co/dv0dRCq3kx pic.twitter.com/uzYgCyywSe
— E! News (@enews) June 30, 2025
Header stock image of Mount Whitney by Sean Holroyd / 500px/Getty Images
