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Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 1:44 am
by Bubba Suess
mrchad9 wrote:But it was a successful summit! Good to get this one in the bag, and a good challenge both physically and mentally. My thanks to Bubba Suess for this one… even though I was solo on the mountain I certainly wouldn’t have made it without his help.


I am not sure I did anything to help but I am happy to offer whatever assistance I can! Seriously, we were impressed with your endurance. By all accounts, that was a miserable climb but at least you can check December off of your list. Be sure to give me a holler when you head up this way again!

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:32 am
by jibmaster
Ha! Nice report! Excellent pictures.
Man, I miss that place. Haven't been up there since April.
Nice job.

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 4:39 pm
by mrchad9
Thanks for the comments and feedback everyone! I suppose looking back the trip as more pleasant memories than what I experienced at the time... still... I am not planning any future December assaults! Looking forward to some warm spring days though! Maybe a cool March trip. Glad folks enjoyed the writeup.

Yeah early Jan might be pushing it for having snow. I've done Sargents Ridge snow free and really it wasn't too bad at all... pretty solid talus but it wasn't a snow climb. It's the decent that can be brutal. When I went there was enough in Old Ski Bowl to boot glissade down, but at least so far this year that is not the case. Casaval Ridge, on the other hand, does not appear to be something I'd want to try without good snowcover.

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Sat Dec 28, 2013 1:41 am
by mountainsandsound
Any of you Shasta-ites have recent pics or know about road access on the north side? I was contemplating heading down there next week (from Seattle) if the high pressure system up here doesn't hold.

Looks like the ridge routes we had considered are straight up talus now, was thinking possibly the Whitney since it looks like it is low on the talus factor (and who wouldn't want to climb the longest glacier in CA?). I'm guessing it would be exposed blue ice right now.

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Sat Dec 28, 2013 3:17 am
by Bubba Suess
I have not been on the north side for a few days but I reckon you should not have any problems with the roads. We have only had one good snow thus far and it blew away rather quickly as Mrchad9's images indicate. The north side has retained more snow than the other sides but not so much that you would have trouble with the roads. I am heading over to Ash Creek Butte in the next few days and I can post a more up to date report when I get back.

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Fri Jan 17, 2014 8:43 pm
by jibmaster

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Sat Jan 18, 2014 12:28 am
by Jarpup
Great update, MrChad. Thanks for posting it. Glad you didn't lose any digits. 80mph? Ouch.
I'm heading that way at the end of February and I'm praying to the snow gods for better conditions. Can't believe how little there is on the mountain right now.
Thanks again. Great info!

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Sat Jan 18, 2014 6:03 pm
by clmbr
Well, well done Chad. I always say "mountaineering is suffering." I had similar conditions on Mt Whitney years ago, except there was a lot of snow and I camped on the ridge (and had no water for 24 hours).

Congrats for you achievement. You survived! Just imagine if you got hurt... That's the spirit!!!

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Sat Jan 18, 2014 7:13 pm
by mrchad9
clmbr wrote:Just imagine if you got hurt... That's the spirit!!!

Lol.

As I was descending past Helen Lake I thought about just that. Frozen scree on talus made for unstable footing. I imagined if I so much as broke and ankle that would be it. Help wouldn't arrive till first light unless I could get to reception. And making it through the night would have been unlikely. No shelter or snow for a cave. I had a space blanket, but not sure how far that'd have gotten me.

Regardless I'm glad it's done!

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 4:00 pm
by clmbr
So what are the conditions on North/East/West sides of Mt Shasta? How glaciers look like? What is the snow quality and where it starts. Are THs accessible by cars?

Someone must have attempted the other side of Shasta recently.

Bubba, did you check? I think it’s time we finally meet in person (if you don’t mind). :D

Thanks in advance

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 2:05 am
by Bubba Suess
Things are not looking good on the south and west sides. We got a bit of snow a little over a week ago but, as has been the case with every storm thus far, the wind scoured the south side clear. However, the north side is in much better shape, though I doubt it is very deep, a few inches covering everything is all. As for the east side, I have no idea. I have not been over that way for a month now.

I am sure the roads are fairly clear. The biggest issue is going to be ice. I went up on the Goosenest in my jeep a couple of week ago and ended up in a bit of a pickle going back down. What looked like snow on the road going up was just a thin, powdery veneer over several inches of ice. Going up was no problem but going down was rough. On a pitch of road that was a couple hundred yards long I ended up sliding about 70 yards in my jeep before I was able to arrest its progress. Obviously those conditions may not exist on Mount Shasta but it is something to look out for.

As far as meeting up, I am always here. My schedule is a bit erratic for the next two months but I am still around. Feel free to give me a holler whenever.

Just for reference, here is a shot of Shasta after the most recent storm a couple of weeks ago:
Image

Most of this snow has all blown off. It is pretty much just packed into the gullies and such now.

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 5:07 am
by clmbr
Well, I’m not sure what to do then. Where is the snow? Perhaps I will wait.

As of meeting up, don't worry, I'll not bombard you.

However, I have to say again I like your pics of Mt Shasta. Good eye and timing!

Thanks for the report and would appreciate any extra info if something new comes up.

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 6:35 am
by yosemiteforlife67
Hey mrchad9, i love the pics and report. I am planning on attempting Shasta for the first time in June. I was planning on taking one of the "easier" routes (clear creek).....but depending on conditions in the next few months, I am not sure how much snow may be up there. What are the chances of any substantial amounts of snow on the east side by then?? I was also possibly looking at the west face gully. What do you think , as far as routes for a first time shasta climber? I have done mt whitney , half dome, and some local peaks (lake tahoe) like Pyramid, freel and tallac. I mainly hike as opposed to climb though.

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 3:52 pm
by Bubba Suess
I think it is premature to ask this question. Things are certainly not looking good right now but we still have 2.5 months of winter left and there is the very real possibility that we could have some epic storms between now and May. Anecdotally, the winter of 2010-2011 was like this one. We had one good snowfall around Thanksgiving and then nothing in December and nothing in January (we have actually had more precipitation in Jan2014 than we did in Jan2011). Temps were high too. The only reason people weren't stressing was that the previous winter had been above average and there was a lot of water in the reservoirs. Then came February which had an average snowfall. March brought record storms (I had 9 feet in 4 days at my house). That winter ended up being above average in terms of snowfall despite those two dry months. Obviously I am not saying this pattern will repeat but just that there is still a lot of winter left and it is too early to predict conditions on the mountain right now.

Just my two cents...

Re: Beautiful SHASTA Current Conditions

PostPosted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 7:39 pm
by mrchad9
yosemiteforlife67 wrote:Hey mrchad9, i love the pics and report. I am planning on attempting Shasta for the first time in June. I was planning on taking one of the "easier" routes (clear creek).....but depending on conditions in the next few months, I am not sure how much snow may be up there. What are the chances of any substantial amounts of snow on the east side by then?? I was also possibly looking at the west face gully. What do you think , as far as routes for a first time shasta climber? I have done mt whitney , half dome, and some local peaks (lake tahoe) like Pyramid, freel and tallac. I mainly hike as opposed to climb though.

Bubba is correct. I'll also add...

Clear Creek generally melts out early, but way too soon to tell if it'd melt out before June. Still... I've done is snow free and it's a fine route even if there is no snow... just gotta follow the correct use trails and not get on the lose descent one.

West face is a fine route, nice 4000 foot glissando. As it gets into April the website will have good updates on its conditions posted by the rangers. Most of it holds snow and it should be good in June except perhaps the top 50-100 feet which melts and can be very loose scree.

Hotlum Bolum ridge is fine if not icy. Generally Hotlum Winun ridge is a good one too, and you can camp by the icefall near the Hotlum glacier.