Hasn't voted | Begin this hike as you would Mt. Shasta, very early. My wife and I left the Bunny Flat trailhead in the dark. So bring a flashlight!
Upon arrival at the Sierra Club hut, the trail splits. To the right is the main route up Avalance Gulch to the summit of Mt. Shasta. To the left is the trail which is marked "Hidden Valley." You will probably not see any reference to Shastina itself. When arriving in the dark, it is very difficult to find the Hidden Valley trail. There are a number of small use trails created by people camping in the area of the hut. If you follow the Mt. Shasta trail just a little past the hut you should see the Hidden Valley trail. If you're starting to go up the rock steps, you've probably gone too far.
From that point, some good person has made sure you'll make it to the mouth of Hidden Valley. The trail goes over three ridges, and works it's way across the faces that divide these ridges. All the while you are going up, so that as you reach the last ridge, you top out and come into the drainage of Hidden Valley. There are dozens of little flags along the faces to confirm you are still going in the right direction. If you have a compass and a good map, you'll have no problem. The more snow there is, the more that's a good idea.
Hidden Valley is desolate. It opens into a very large basin, but there is almost no vegetation, even in August when we went. You can see your way ahead, as you are now facing the place where the Shastina Cone juts out from it's big sister. You will essentially walk up the gully between the two mountains until you hit the top of the connecting ridge. STAY TO THE LEFT for your ascent to that ridge, unless there is a lot of snow. About a half mile up Hidden Valley to the right there is a frozen waterfall that is an impediment. To the left, there are a series of scree piles that are usually covered in snow. It's easy walking with crampons on the snow.
Eventually you get right into the gully between the mountains. It is covered in snow, and is amazingly steep. No problem to go up or down with crampons and ski poles, although in August, the afternoon sun will guarantee your footwear will be soaked for the descent.
Avoid walking on the scree slopes as you move your way to the ridge. Shastina keeps getting bigger and bigger to your left ahead. If you travel before the end of June, you'll likely be able to walk right on up, but we encountered the last slope to the ridge completely barren of snow. The Springsteen song, "one step up and two steps back" applied to this experience.
Once you're on the ridge you'll angle to the left around the cone. You'll see one of the two tiny lakes at that point. The other one is actually inside the crater.
As you work around to the left, you'll keep going up until eventually it drops off to the northwest and you're looking at the entire Shasta Valley below you. This is definitely volcano country. Turn around and the view of Mt. Shasta is awesome. Just a massive thing rising before you.
From there, you simply go straight up the side of the cone. On the rim you'll see two or three different points, but the summit is the point to your left and across the side of the cone. On your way down, you'll have a water refill back at the Sierra Club hut. Have a great time, and remember the frozen waterfall in Hidden Canyon. You'll have to traverse around it if you go that direction on your descent. If it's too windy to have lunch at the top, the bottom of Hidden Canyon is usually delightfully protected from the wind and warmed by the sun. It would be a good place to camp and set up a base for a weekend summit of Mt. Shastina.
Have a great time! |
California Cascades > Shastina > Additions and Corrections