Anyone have any information or experience with SWS guided winter climbs of Shasta? Positives and negatives?
Also, any recommendations for acclimatization suggestions would be great. Not much around San Fran, so wondering if
there are any doable options in the area of shasta or on the way, even 8 or 9 k that could help..
thx

My normal process is to sleep at the trailhead, which is about 7 k, and then just head up in the morning. I usually overnight but have dayhiked it under the same conditions in March without any prior acclimatization. Some others are the same way but it depends on how you take the altitude.

To get acclimated you can take a look at Mount Eddy, which is just the other side of I-5, or dayhike around Bunny Flat. Head over to Grey Butte and Green Butte on the south side of Mount Shasta... nice views and you can even see lots of lightning strike scars all over Green Butte (assuming the snow hasn't covered the top).

Based on what I've seen of SWS in the Sierra I wouldn't use them. Their guides seemed nice but not very experienced. When I saw them alongside one of the Sierra guide services on Mt. Whitney the difference was glaring. Unfortunately that Sierra guide service doesn't operate on Shasta. I'd suggest looking at Shasta Mountain Guides.

I went on a trip (glacier travel course) with SWS about 15 years ago. It was very well run and the guide was very experienced (Dave Cressman, who is now the COO). At the time, I felt it was much better run than the SMG climb going on at the same time. (Keep in mind that this was one trip a long time ago, so YMMV)