The name Shasta is local Indian for "White Mountain", and I believe the striking contrast of pure white to the green/golden brown northern California landscape makes this mountain one the prettiest as well.
Pictured below: Taken from my flight on November 1st 2012.
California's 14er's. To date my successful list consists:
- Mt. Whitney
- Mt. Tyndall
- Split Mountain
- Mt. Muir
- Mt. Russell
- Mt. Williamson
- Middle Palisade
- Mt. Sill
- Mt. Shasta
- White Mountain
- Mt. Langley
- North Palisade
The two main climbing hazards on this mountain are avalanche danger and rockfall. In fact, like all Cascade volcanoes the mountain is nothing more than a frozen pile of loose volcanic scree. When the snow/ice begins to melt, rockfall is a major hazard. As far as accessing avalanche danger goes, The Mount Shasta Avalanche Center maintains an excellent website with up to date info and conditions on routes during the peak climbing season. The snow pack usually begins consolidation starting in April making for safer conditions (pending additional factors).
Our route of choice would be Avalanche Gulch. This is by far the most popular and easily accessible route on the mountain.
Below: A Google Earth path of the Avalanche Gulch route on the South Side of Shasta.
The route begins at the Bunny Flat trail head (6,940'), then ascends in the pine forest for approx two miles to Horse Camp (7,900'). From Horse Camp, the route then leaves the tree line and ascends the main gully between Casaval Ridge and Green Butte Ridge, this is Avalanche Gulch. The next way point in Avalanche Gulch is Helen Lake (10,000'). From Helen Lake, the route then ascends the right side of the head wall of the gulch to the top of the "Red Banks".
Below: The lower half of Avalanche Gulch Route.
From the top of the "Red Banks" (12,800'), the route ascends up the long "Misery Hill" until near the summit plateau (13,750'). The route hikes across the plateau, and another short climb leads to the pyramid summit (14,179').
The Plan:
Due to a shortness of time off from work, this would have to be a run up the mountain and back. Light and fast would be the key. I really need to emphasize light. After an failed attempt on the Mountaineers Route on Whitney the previous February, we learned the pain of 50+lbs packs. No tent for me, just the bivy sack and other minimal gear.
Day #1: Leave Fresno very early and drive up to Mt. Shasta, CA which is a 7 hour drive from Fresno. We would need to rent boots for both of us and purchase Summit permits as well. The goal would be to be moving by 2:00pm and hump up to Helen Lake.
Day #2: Alpine start with a summit by 10:00am, descend and return to the car by mid afternoon, followed by another 7 hour drive home.
Tuesday May 3rd 2011:
Russ and I departed Fresno by 4:00am. Although a much longer drive than going to the Eastern Sierra, this would be my first time north of Sacramento (driving wise) and at least it was all new scenery from me. By 1:30pm we arrived in the town of Mount Shasta and stopped by the local gear shop The Fifth Season. Very few places in California rent Double Plastic Boots. This type of boot is for winter/high altitude/glacier type of mountaineering. Although not needed in the summer time on Mount Shasta, any other time temperatures on the summit can be single digits to below zero. We both rented a pair of boots each, purchased our "Summit Passes", and were then on our way up the hill to the Bunny Flat trail head.
The 2010/11 winter season was on the wettest in California history and consequently Mount Shasta had excellent snow coverage and depth. We arrived at the Bunny Flat trail head (also the end of the plowed road) by 3:00pm.
We loaded up and headed out in the direction of Horse Camp. The Sierra Club maintains a hut at Horse Camp. Although we didn't see anyone else out, there were plenty of ski and boot tracks all heading in the same direction. Snow conditions were slushy but compacted and travel went smoothly. A long debate back at the car was had about bringing snow shoes or not. We decided due to the weight plenty to leave them back at the car.
Above: Russ slogging along on the mellow path towards Horse Camp.
Below: The south face of Shasta with Avalanche Gulch in the center. Horse Camp is on the left at the end of the trees.
Around 4:30pm we took a short break as the path left the tree line. The angle started to pickup around this time making for a real calve and cardio burner.
Above: The initial entrance in to the Avalanche Gulch.
Below: Looking back at me and the Shasta Trinity national forest.
Above: Russ continues the snow slog uphill.
Below: Around 6:00pm we begin to near the Helen Lake area. Also, I could begin to hear the roar of the wind across the upper Casaval Ridge and Red Banks. We talked earlier in the day with a descending party who had to turn around due to the high winds. Our forecast was for diminishing winds overnight.
Above: Russ and I begin rebuilding blocks of snow for the wind block.
Below: Our final camp. You would be correct in assuming it was pretty miserable.
- It should be noted that Russ has a Dora the Explorer tent. Seriously. I have nothing more than a bivy sack. Quite the collection we are.
It was a pretty horrible night and in retrospect, I wish I had brought my tent (Russ's tent was a one man tent at best). It was incredibility hard to make food and melt snow for water all while hiding from the howling wind in a bivy sack. When I went lights out, the wind was still roaring and I'll admit I wasn't sure the forecast was going to check out.
Wednesday May 4th 2016:
Shortly before 5:00am and after not much rest we awoke to a calm air predawn morning. Looks like the forecast was right and the climb was on! By 5:30am we where off from our camp and working our way up the the head wall of Avalanche Gulch. Although the morning temperature was cold, I thought it was some what pleasant for the intense cardio climb up the hill.
Above: 5:30am departure from camp with the lights of Mount Shasta.
Below: 5:45am the light was quickly approaching.
Above: Looking up 1,500' to the top of the Red Banks. Our path would be to traverse directly to the lowest part of the rock coming down from the ridge on the right. From there we would angle up to the right and pass the Red Banks on their right. Pictured below is looking down Avalanche Gulch and Casaval Ridge. Off in the distance on the far right of the pictures the shadow of Mount Shasta can be seen projecting in the distance. What an amazing view!
Above: Russ posing with the Red Banks in the background.
Below: Bypassing the Red Banks on climbers right. This would also be the "technical crux" at 35 degree icy slope. It is more of a physiological crux than technical due to the very long run out from a slip.
Above: We reach the top of the Red Banks 8:00am. This was also the first blast of sunlight for the day which was very welcomed. We took a short break to rest and hydrate.
Below: The bergschrund of the Konwakiton Glacier.
Above: From the top of the Red Banks the route then turns left and ascends the ridge above the Konwakiton glacier towards Misery Hill. This picture is looking east bank towards Thumb Rock.
Below: Misery Hill is aptly named. It was nothing more than a 700' slope that goes on and on. Around this time the altitude and fatigue start adding up and it becomes a crap slog. Upon reaching the top of the "hill" the route arrives at the summit plateau. Pictured below is me posing at the plateau with the actual summit pyramid seen in the background. Also, the air temperature drastically dropped upon reaching the plateau as well. I would guess upper teens air temp.
Russ and I once again took a break to rest and hydrate before the final push across the plateau and then up the last 500'. Interestingly enough, while crossing the plateau we came across another party of two who were descending from the summit. We chatted briefly and they reviled they had just done the Casaval Ridge Route.
- Side note here: A few weeks later I came across a trip report on the Casaval Ridge only to put it all together it was the two guys we chatted with. TRIP REPORT HERE.
Above: Looking down towards a sulfur vent. The north side routes pop out on the right side of the picture.
Below: At 10:45am we arrived at the summit proper making my second California 14ers summit! 5 hours and 15 minutes from Helen Lake, not too shabby either. Russ pictured below.
Pictured above is my summit photo. Pretty cool looking if you ask me! Once again we paused to rest and sign the summit register.
I was pretty excited to nab my second 14er and only two days before my 29th birthday too! We spent perhaps less than 30 minutes on the summit as it was pretty chilly.
The descent was unfortunately pretty rough for me. Somewhere and I repeat somewhere and at sometime.... I lost one of my crampons on Misery Hill. In fact I didn't even recognize it until we arrived above the Red Banks (Altitude sort of makes for tunnel vision). This is the steepest and iciest portion of the route, thus most critical for crampons as well. My descent was slow and tedious. Russ was able to keep moving at a good pace down Avalanche Gulch eventually glissading back down to camp.
- Little side note here, in the following years I've received proper training and instruction on snow travel/ice ax usage/crampon fitting. I look back now and can only laugh.
Exhausted but spirits high, we arrived back to the car at 3:00pm making for a 24 hour car-to-car trip.
The drive back to Fresno was as you might image, long and then even longer. 7 hours later and close to 11:00pm we were back home.
Mount Shasta and this trip left a distinct mark on me. It gave me a taste of serious mountaineering and a completely different style than the Sierras. This trip and the climb up Avalanche Gulch ignited the spark which eventually led me to climb Mount Rainier.
Mount Shasta and this trip left a distinct mark on me. It gave me a taste of serious mountaineering and a completely different style than the Sierras. This trip and the climb up Avalanche Gulch ignited the spark which eventually led me to climb Mount Rainier.
Stats:
A follow up Recon trip to the North side of Mount Shasta in 2014 is located here.
- 2nd 14er California Summit
- 24 hours Car-to-Car
- 43 hours Home-to-Home
- Vertical Gain: 7,300'
- Distance: ~11 Miles
Gear:
- Jan Sport big Bag
- REI Flash 18 Bag
- North Face Bivy Bag
- Winter Sleeping Bag/pad
- JetBoil/Fuel
- Dinner/Breakfast/Snacks/Water Bottles
- Thermal top/bottom
- Soft shell pants
- Hard shell jacket
- Down jacket
- Heavy gloves/Liners
- Double Plastic Boots/Socks
- Headlamp/Personal Gear
- Snow Shovel
