crnhlio - Sep 2, 2008 10:18 am Date Climbed: Apr 10, 2008
Up and Down
Left the car at 3am, summit at 10am, back to car at 1300.
BCJ - Sep 2, 2008 4:19 am Date Climbed: Jun 11, 2006
Fun climb
Conditions were great until the last 700' to the summit when clouds obscured any views. It took us a while to search the upper slopes for the actual summit in the thick clouds.
SpankyBob - Aug 29, 2008 4:55 pm Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2004
Great Trip
Climbed with Shasta Mountain Guides. Easy trip, great weather.
Camped at Hidden Valley, Friday, 27JUN08. Started climbing 2am Saturday 28JUN08. On the summit at 10:30am. Spent an hour up there as the weather was phenomenal! Sunny and little wind. Back to Hidden Valley by 4 pm. Spent the night and back out to Bunny Flat on Sunday, 29JUN08. AWESOME! ! ! Avoid Avy Gulch, the West face is a good beginner/moderate route and MUCH less crowded.
Climbed it 3 times in 3 years all on the 4th of July. We did the Bolam Glacier and the Hotlam Bolam Ridge. Got chased off the summit by lightning in 2000
ericd - Aug 13, 2008 11:22 pm Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2008
Avalanche Gulch Choss Route
What a great mountain to climb in calm winds and clear skies! 14hr total trip time from Bunny Flats, 8hrs up, 1hr at top, 5hrs down. Route has neat surprises in the summer without snow like lots of choss rock to contend with (sometimes 1step up, 1/2slide down in upper gulch), a small sandstone passage way to get above red cliffs (at thumb rock lookout), and small field of ice to cross before getting to the summit pyramid (ice ax & crampons not really needed). Class 3 handholds to get to the summit register box ...that's going straight up face. A leg burner more so on descent and very dusty due to the rock slides and choss. Neat seeing all the jetliners and Horizon's Dash 8 zipping along overhead.
gbrill - Aug 5, 2008 8:49 pm Date Climbed: Jun 19, 2006
Avalanche Gulch
Standard avalanche gulch rout. Great climb for beginners who want to get into mountaineering.
AdamJ - Jul 31, 2008 6:10 pm Date Climbed: Jun 6, 2008
First mountaineering experience!
Awesome. Camped out at horse camp, left at 1am. Summit and back to the cars the same long day. Great climb!
Climbed this AWESOME peak solo, in May of 2001. Snow all the way.
irish guy - Jul 16, 2008 5:54 pm Date Climbed: May 5, 2008
Avy Gulch
Summitted on a Monday and had the mountain to ourselves. Beautiful day - not a single cloud. The Heart was pretty exposed, and the AG was already melting out.
BradBartick - Jul 12, 2008 9:53 pm Date Climbed: Jun 21, 2008
Shasta via Avy Gulch
Probably the last weekend this route will be fun. Nice views!
bajaandy - Jul 1, 2008 6:12 pm Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2008
H-W Ridge
Climbed the Hotlum-Wintun Ridge. Warm temps have really melted out many of the routes on Shasta. We were lucky to get to finish this one. Hiked up the Brewer Creek trail and made camp at about 9,300 feet. Started climbing at 1:00 am, summited at 9:00 and returned to camp by 1:00 pm. Soft snow conditions at the top of the route caused some post holing, but made for an easy descent when glisading.
ih8kroq - Jun 24, 2008 12:34 am Date Climbed: Jun 14, 2008
No More Avy Gulch
I've talked to people who went up Avy Gulch and it sounds like the trail is deteriorating by the hour. Two more lost folks up that route. Read more about that here.
I attempted to climb Shasta via the Clear Creek route, as all the other routes were melted out. The weather was bad on the hike to base camp, but still spectacular. We turned back at 11K because we were all sleep deprived, and I was getting the worst of it due to my ~2 hours of fruitless sleep combined with the altitude. I had also carried the second heaviest, and relatively heaviest pack up the the base camp. Even though I had extensively studied the mountain, I was unable to comprehend the effort involved in climbing it, due to my lack of experience in mountaineering.
SawtoothSean - Jun 18, 2008 1:25 am Date Climbed: Jun 14, 2008
West Face Gully
Started at 4am from Bunny Flat TH in warm temps. Made it to Hidden Valley by dawn and then up the steep and direct West Face Gully to the west ridge. From here the winds were stronger and it was chilly. We were to the summit by 9:30am with clear skies and smoke below us from the fires. We took the West Ridge down, messing around near Shastina, then down the Cascade Gulch and back to the car by 3pm. It was a beautiful peak, and it was great to be on a route without the masses. Still, we saw some guided parties and a Ranger. On the way out people asked us about the conditions, particularly about glissading- folks get hard ons when it comes to sliding down snow to save time.
ih8kroq - Jun 17, 2008 12:11 am Date Climbed: Jun 14, 2008
A Fun Challenge
Bagged Shasta on Saturday during a 3-day, 2-night trip (we were too lazy to just go overnight). Mountain gods threw wind, snow, ice, scree and freezing temps at us, but the kind gods rewarded us with an unbelievable summit view.
Zhenya77 - Jun 9, 2008 3:48 pm Date Climbed: May 28, 2006
Casval Ridge
Mt.Shasta is famous for its unpredictable weather. After a windy and snowy night spending on a Casaval ridge (10,000 ft) we started ascend at 3:00 am and summit the peak by 10:15 am. The return to a camp was full of adventure in itself due to a poor visibility (total white out). It was a great Memorial weekend trip which has a history in itself (See snow blizzard on Memorial weekend in 2002)
thexcat - Jun 4, 2008 6:50 pm Date Climbed: Aug 6, 2006
Avy Gulch
My first 14er. Camped at Helen Lake, and next day made summit. Altitude sickness got me good 500 ft from summit, but pushed on, and puked my guts out on the way down. Memorable.
I hiked up Avalanche Gulch back in 1992. There were lines of people going up. I was given a survey on the way down by a lovely ranger woman on the way down asking if it was busy. That was 16 years ago, I could not imagine the traffic today. It was a great time, and a spectacular summit, the views are sublime. I really liked the view of the Trinity Alps. I remember having to wait in line to sign the summit register. The glissade down was a real treat. A fan of snow flying over my head from the speed. I had even made a trash bag diaper to go even faster. A bigger elevation gain than even the Grand Teton, but with a very fast return. A mountain like no other, especially with all of the crazy cosmic legends and bigfoot sightings.
crnhlio - Sep 2, 2008 10:18 am Date Climbed: Apr 10, 2008
Up and DownLeft the car at 3am, summit at 10am, back to car at 1300.
BCJ - Sep 2, 2008 4:19 am Date Climbed: Jun 11, 2006
Fun climbConditions were great until the last 700' to the summit when clouds obscured any views. It took us a while to search the upper slopes for the actual summit in the thick clouds.
SpankyBob - Aug 29, 2008 4:55 pm Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2004
Great TripClimbed with Shasta Mountain Guides. Easy trip, great weather.
CORDILLERAORIENTAL - Aug 28, 2008 7:45 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2008
WEST FACECamped at Hidden Valley, Friday, 27JUN08. Started climbing 2am Saturday 28JUN08. On the summit at 10:30am. Spent an hour up there as the weather was phenomenal! Sunny and little wind. Back to Hidden Valley by 4 pm. Spent the night and back out to Bunny Flat on Sunday, 29JUN08. AWESOME! ! ! Avoid Avy Gulch, the West face is a good beginner/moderate route and MUCH less crowded.
kevin trieu - Aug 26, 2008 5:02 pm
dusk...made the summit at dusk as the alpine glow was setting on us. hiked back to camp with a full moon. hauntingly beautiful.
dpsiebert - Aug 21, 2008 6:32 am
4th of July FunClimbed it 3 times in 3 years all on the 4th of July. We did the Bolam Glacier and the Hotlam Bolam Ridge. Got chased off the summit by lightning in 2000
ericd - Aug 13, 2008 11:22 pm Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2008
Avalanche Gulch Choss RouteWhat a great mountain to climb in calm winds and clear skies! 14hr total trip time from Bunny Flats, 8hrs up, 1hr at top, 5hrs down. Route has neat surprises in the summer without snow like lots of choss rock to contend with (sometimes 1step up, 1/2slide down in upper gulch), a small sandstone passage way to get above red cliffs (at thumb rock lookout), and small field of ice to cross before getting to the summit pyramid (ice ax & crampons not really needed). Class 3 handholds to get to the summit register box ...that's going straight up face. A leg burner more so on descent and very dusty due to the rock slides and choss. Neat seeing all the jetliners and Horizon's Dash 8 zipping along overhead.
gbrill - Aug 5, 2008 8:49 pm Date Climbed: Jun 19, 2006
Avalanche GulchStandard avalanche gulch rout. Great climb for beginners who want to get into mountaineering.
AdamJ - Jul 31, 2008 6:10 pm Date Climbed: Jun 6, 2008
First mountaineering experience!Awesome. Camped out at horse camp, left at 1am. Summit and back to the cars the same long day. Great climb!
pyerger - Jul 30, 2008 11:13 pm
SOLOClimbed this AWESOME peak solo, in May of 2001. Snow all the way.
irish guy - Jul 16, 2008 5:54 pm Date Climbed: May 5, 2008
Avy GulchSummitted on a Monday and had the mountain to ourselves. Beautiful day - not a single cloud. The Heart was pretty exposed, and the AG was already melting out.
BradBartick - Jul 12, 2008 9:53 pm Date Climbed: Jun 21, 2008
Shasta via Avy GulchProbably the last weekend this route will be fun. Nice views!
bajaandy - Jul 1, 2008 6:12 pm Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2008
H-W RidgeClimbed the Hotlum-Wintun Ridge. Warm temps have really melted out many of the routes on Shasta. We were lucky to get to finish this one. Hiked up the Brewer Creek trail and made camp at about 9,300 feet. Started climbing at 1:00 am, summited at 9:00 and returned to camp by 1:00 pm. Soft snow conditions at the top of the route caused some post holing, but made for an easy descent when glisading.
ih8kroq - Jun 24, 2008 12:34 am Date Climbed: Jun 14, 2008
No More Avy GulchI've talked to people who went up Avy Gulch and it sounds like the trail is deteriorating by the hour. Two more lost folks up that route. Read more about that here.
Little Mountain Goat - Jun 22, 2008 10:44 pm Date Climbed: Jun 22, 2008
Lack of sleep on Clear CreekI attempted to climb Shasta via the Clear Creek route, as all the other routes were melted out. The weather was bad on the hike to base camp, but still spectacular. We turned back at 11K because we were all sleep deprived, and I was getting the worst of it due to my ~2 hours of fruitless sleep combined with the altitude. I had also carried the second heaviest, and relatively heaviest pack up the the base camp. Even though I had extensively studied the mountain, I was unable to comprehend the effort involved in climbing it, due to my lack of experience in mountaineering.
SawtoothSean - Jun 18, 2008 1:25 am Date Climbed: Jun 14, 2008
West Face GullyStarted at 4am from Bunny Flat TH in warm temps. Made it to Hidden Valley by dawn and then up the steep and direct West Face Gully to the west ridge. From here the winds were stronger and it was chilly. We were to the summit by 9:30am with clear skies and smoke below us from the fires. We took the West Ridge down, messing around near Shastina, then down the Cascade Gulch and back to the car by 3pm. It was a beautiful peak, and it was great to be on a route without the masses. Still, we saw some guided parties and a Ranger. On the way out people asked us about the conditions, particularly about glissading- folks get hard ons when it comes to sliding down snow to save time.
ih8kroq - Jun 17, 2008 12:11 am Date Climbed: Jun 14, 2008
A Fun ChallengeBagged Shasta on Saturday during a 3-day, 2-night trip (we were too lazy to just go overnight). Mountain gods threw wind, snow, ice, scree and freezing temps at us, but the kind gods rewarded us with an unbelievable summit view.
Detailed trip report with photos here: My Travelpod Trip Report
Zhenya77 - Jun 9, 2008 3:48 pm Date Climbed: May 28, 2006
Casval RidgeMt.Shasta is famous for its unpredictable weather. After a windy and snowy night spending on a Casaval ridge (10,000 ft) we started ascend at 3:00 am and summit the peak by 10:15 am. The return to a camp was full of adventure in itself due to a poor visibility (total white out). It was a great Memorial weekend trip which has a history in itself (See snow blizzard on Memorial weekend in 2002)
thexcat - Jun 4, 2008 6:50 pm Date Climbed: Aug 6, 2006
Avy GulchMy first 14er. Camped at Helen Lake, and next day made summit. Altitude sickness got me good 500 ft from summit, but pushed on, and puked my guts out on the way down. Memorable.
wyopeakMike - Jun 1, 2008 7:21 pm
one great glissadeI hiked up Avalanche Gulch back in 1992. There were lines of people going up. I was given a survey on the way down by a lovely ranger woman on the way down asking if it was busy. That was 16 years ago, I could not imagine the traffic today. It was a great time, and a spectacular summit, the views are sublime. I really liked the view of the Trinity Alps. I remember having to wait in line to sign the summit register. The glissade down was a real treat. A fan of snow flying over my head from the speed. I had even made a trash bag diaper to go even faster. A bigger elevation gain than even the Grand Teton, but with a very fast return. A mountain like no other, especially with all of the crazy cosmic legends and bigfoot sightings.