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Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 5:14 am
by ScottHanson
rookie questions:
I am interested in climbing Shasta first time up easy (cl 2 or easy cl 3), straight-forward approach in July 2014. One day push.
1) good guidebook?
2) good route (I have crampons)?
3) need permit? get day of climb? get at trail-head?
4) best to start at midnight to avoid slushy snow conditions?

Thanks for any tips!
Scott

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 7:06 am
by yosemiteforlife67
JHH60 wrote:
yosemiteforlife67 wrote:hey, just an additional inquiry regarding clear creek route......above clear creek meadow/camp area....are there spots up above that are good , in case i want to have a slightly shorter summit day? How far up, does the creek go, and how accessible, and how high can you set up camp?I would assume , i would probably have to bring all my water....depending on how high above the meadow the creek starts. Information on this would be very helpful. Thanks.


The usual base camp area at around 8300' (where I shot the photo I previously posted) is where the creek starts. There are places higher up where you could bivy but they are smaller, more exposed, and require you to melt snow and/or bring your water.

Hey thanks for the information. I was hoping for a little shorter day, but i am not sure if we may be able to do that. We would have to bring all our water(unless there is still some snow up there in the next 4-5 weeks......is that 5 miles as bad as it may sound...going up the ridge of clear creek, or not too bad? I have done the rocky canyon route up to the top of Pyramid peak(9983) in desolation wilderness, which is about 3+ miles,(one way) and you climb 4000 feet. Clear creek you climb 5800 feet in 5 miles. Any insight on this?

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 4:42 pm
by JHH60
yosemiteforlife67 wrote:Hey thanks for the information. I was hoping for a little shorter day, but i am not sure if we may be able to do that. We would have to bring all our water(unless there is still some snow up there in the next 4-5 weeks......is that 5 miles as bad as it may sound...going up the ridge of clear creek, or not too bad? I have done the rocky canyon route up to the top of Pyramid peak(9983) in desolation wilderness, which is about 3+ miles,(one way) and you climb 4000 feet. Clear creek you climb 5800 feet in 5 miles. Any insight on this?


The hike up to 8300' is easy and on trail. I've only ever done the rest of the route when there was snow cover and it's a moderate, straightforward snow climb. If you are planning to climb it when the snow is gone then I gather the scree makes it more tedious, but have no personal experience there. I suggest you check the route page and trip reports for more information.

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 5:18 pm
by mrchad9
yosemiteforlife67 it sounds like you haven't read the SummitPost page for Clear Creek.

I recommend you check it out.

: - )

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 5:22 pm
by mrchad9
ScottHanson wrote:rookie questions:
I am interested in climbing Shasta first time up easy (cl 2 or easy cl 3), straight-forward approach in July 2014. One day push.
1) good guidebook?
2) good route (I have crampons)?
3) need permit? get day of climb? get at trail-head?
4) best to start at midnight to avoid slushy snow conditions?

Thanks for any tips!
Scott

1. No need
2. Hotlum Bolam Ridge
3. Pay for summit pass and either ranger station or trailhead.
4. I always start at sunrise!

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 5:58 pm
by mtnlvrgirl
mrchad9 wrote:
ScottHanson wrote:rookie questions:
I am interested in climbing Shasta first time up easy (cl 2 or easy cl 3), straight-forward approach in July 2014. One day push.
1) good guidebook?
2) good route (I have crampons)?
3) need permit? get day of climb? get at trail-head?
4) best to start at midnight to avoid slushy snow conditions?

Thanks for any tips!
Scott

1. No need
2. Hotlum Bolam Ridge
3. Pay for summit pass and either ranger station or trailhead.
4. I always start at sunrise!


1. ...
2. The Hotlum/Bolam route is a intermediate route and most people take 2-3 days. A one day push is a lot on this route. For a beginner, I would definitely not recommend this route unless you go with a guide. Clear Creek is the least technical and a good route to try a one day push.
2. All routes need crampons. Even on the Clear Creek route. At 13,000 ft. is the crux on the route crossing the Wintun Glacier and Crampons and ice-ax are a good idea.
3. same as above
4. For a one day push, I would start to later than 3:00a.m. even earlier depending on the weather.

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 8:09 pm
by mrchad9
I guess it depends on how you like to go about it. On all my one day ascents I started around sunrise and never had any issues. Even when I went in December I chose not to start until 5:00 AM... good thing too... it was just too cold to start any earlier.

The Clear Creek route may not need crampons by late July. I'd get an update on conditions. It doesn't cross the Wintun Glacier though... to get onto the Wintun Glacier from Clear Creek trailhead it takes a really big diversion.
mtnlvrgirl wrote:The Hotlum/Bolam route is a intermediate route and most people take 2-3 days.

This is true... but it is class 2-3 which is what he requested. Also every route on the mountain takes most folks 2-3 days. But Hotlum Bolam is just as easily dayhiked as any other. If you are comfortable on crampons I think perhaps even easier than Clear Creek as there is less elevation gain.

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:45 am
by clmbr
I did Clear Creek in one day three times (2 week apart) in the previous year.

The first attempt was the quickest one (I think it took us 6-7 hours to the top) but the conditions were perfect (no snow at all). The day before we hiked Mt Mt McLoughlin in one day as well (3 hours to the top). This was my first time on Clear Creek route and I used SunnitPost.org descriptions which were very accurate.

The two other times were already after the storm with a quite amount of snow fall requiring crampons and ice axe for safety; these attempts, however, were much longer (see videos for time).

Anyway check out the videos to see the route conditions and possible places to camp. There is at least one place on the ridge with spots for (I believe) three tents and with nearby snow. To me base camping by the creek’s springs make not much sense (unless, one just want to relax); it’s like base camping at Horse Camp. I just prefer to do it in one day from the TH (even if it would be a long day).

Mt Shasta Clear Creek 2nd attempt in the beginning of October, 2013 – one day but a very long hike


Mt Shasta Clear Creek 3rd attempt in the middle of October, 2013 – one day but a very long hike

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 3:11 am
by clmbr
Avalanche Gulch – there is still some snow above Lake Helen. No snow above Red Banks (except the plateau).

Picture taken on 29 of June, 2014.
Image

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2014 8:15 pm
by brichardsson
does anyone have an update on weather and conditions?

we are heading up this weekend for a wintun ridge up / clear creek down loop. i've kept an eye on the forecasts, and have called the east side ranger station, and i've been told the mountain is currently hot and dry. but i got a conflicting report via text this am that said it rained all day yesterday and there was a party that got turned back due to "240 feet of blue ice on return route". (no route given, i have asked for more detail).

does anyone have a better source of information than the ranger station and summit plateau point forecast?

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 7:53 pm
by mrchad9
The summit plateau NWS NOAA forecast is the best source I've ever had... inaccuracies and all. It isn't perfect and sometimes not even close but no other source will be better.

You definately won't hit blue ice on your route. Rock, snow and scree is all there is!

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 2:11 pm
by yosemiteforlife67
Hey thanks mrchad, i am set to head up there in about 3 weeks. I am just curious about what snow might be left, i assume not much. i did check out the clear creek page on summitpost regarding higher options for camping. i am used to "scree and slog" type terrain, since i have done Freel here in tahoe area...but of course shasta is a much bigger version (LOL) looking forward to the challenge and the climb. Tell me, i have been told that people that have done mt whitney, have turned around, on shasta...assuming weather is good, it isn't all that bad, right? I don't expect this to be easy, but with mt whitney, you sure have to be motivated to keep going, to reach the top. I was planning on getting down to tuolumne meadows for dana/gibbs as an acclimation type climb, and pyramid peak in desolation. Any other tips, prior to going?

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 7:19 pm
by clmbr
yosemiteforlife67 wrote:. . . i have been told that people that have done mt whitney, have turned around, on shasta...assuming weather is good, it isn't all that bad, right? I don't expect this to be easy, but with mt whitney, you sure have to be motivated to keep going, to reach the top. I was planning on getting down to tuolumne meadows for dana/gibbs as an acclimation type climb, and pyramid peak in desolation. Any other tips, prior to going?

You don’t need to do any acclimatization hike anywhere. Just stay in shape by doing whatever physical exercises you do. Come to Shasta early enough and relax (if you have one extra day to acclimatize at the TH or base camp that would be even better) and then just do it. Take it easy but persistently. Bring some energy shots of your choice. Do not set any turnaround time and definitely do not give up; unless, you get sick.

Mt Whitney is a nice trail and only about 6K elevation gain. Here you have 7.6 K on a used trail (if you stay on it).

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 8:10 pm
by mrchad9
yosemiteforlife it is all just motivation. I have seen folks with no experience and no altitude prep who weren't any more fit than the average person drive up, start right away at midnight, and push all the way to the summit though sometimes taking as long as 12-14 hours to do it like that.

Only difference from Whitney is the distance is much shorter, which is nice on the descent, and there is no maintained trail so it is a bit difference than simply walking.

For me I wouldn't do the higher camping options on Clear Creek unless you can see some snow nearby... otherwise you got to carry all that water. But some folks do that and that is just me. Clear Creek is very straightforward.

If no one here knows conditions you might check with the ranger station in Mount Shasta. Normally I wouldn't recommend such a call as you would get erroneous and misleading information from someone beyond incompetent... but the rangers and desk staff at Mount Shasta are top rate and not the same breed you encounter in the Sierra and most other national forests.

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 8:12 pm
by mrchad9
Got to agree with all clmbr's comments above... especially this one...

Do not set any turnaround time and definitely do not give up; unless, you get sick.