haishan - Sep 28, 2009 1:43 am Date Climbed: May 25, 2009
WFG
Finally got up this guy. Skied the WFG along with about 30 others that day. Best skiing of the weekend was the S-facing snow patch coming down from Shastina the day before.
cdewhurst - Sep 21, 2009 5:22 pm Date Climbed: May 26, 2006
cdewhurst
Learned a lot on this awesome climb. 1-I love climbing 2.Don't leave your sweater in the car on a snow climb 3. don't fill your water bladder and have near your clothes in case it leaks 4. teeth chattering from cold is not only very uncomfortable it also hurts the toungue. Will climb this one again. Can't explain how beautiful climbing a snow peak is.
This was my very first 14er. I think it was the summer of '81. I climbed with a friend, and we camped overnight at a cabin halfway up the mountain. Along the way we encountered snowfields that seemed endless.
I had climbed Lassen a few days prior to attempting Shasta, so I thought I was in good shape. Boy, was I wrong. Luckily my youthful energy and determination to complete the summit overcame my lack of preparation, and bad weather weather that I encountered on the climb. Thank goodness for the hot water springs to warm my hands, but it was too bad there was no view at the summit due to the clouds. Following the hike, I was not able to move for three days due to exhaustion.
7300 vertical foot perfect corn ski descent? Check! Repeated in June of 2007 with equally awesome conditions.
rmick25 - Sep 3, 2009 8:33 pm Date Climbed: Jun 6, 2008
First 14er
Took Avalanche Gulch and was fortunate to have a late season storm before we got there. There was a windy winter resulting in a lack of snow on the approach from Horse Camp. Winds were incredible at the top and we essentially crawled. Great Glissade below the heart.
Buckaroo - Sep 3, 2009 4:44 pm Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2002
Hotlum Wintun Ridge
Solo Hotlum-Wintun then right into Hotlum ice gully, bivied at about 11,000 ft. came back down all on the rock ridge, there was no snow except at the top. Beautiful day. Nice approach too, compared to the bushwacks of Rainier, Shasta has very open and dry forests. Plus acclimated in town at 4,000 ft. for a few days so felt really nice compared to Rainier where you start at sea level. There's also some neat lava tube caves N of the peak for exploring on a rainy day.
cab - Aug 31, 2009 3:18 pm Date Climbed: May 26, 2006
Avalanche Gulch
My first snow climb! Camped at Helen Lake and froze all night because my sleeping pad had a hole in it. Was glad to get moving early with the alpine start and really enjoyed the climb to the top. Great weather. This one got me hooked on mountaineering!
Dennis Poulin - Aug 30, 2009 3:24 pm Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2009
Clear Creek
Dayhiked this one. Lots of scree which was pretty miserable. 4th time on the summit of Mt Shasta. Beautiful day on an uncrowded route.
ericwillhite - Aug 29, 2009 9:48 pm Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2009
zplustwo - Aug 18, 2009 12:24 pm Date Climbed: Jun 14, 2009
Avy Gulch
Summit for Someone victory.
Deltakyp - Aug 15, 2009 10:26 pm Date Climbed: Sep 9, 2006
My first 14'er
Dragged a friend with me on my first solo glaciated climb after taking a mountaineering course in July. My friend stayed at Helen Lake and played in the snow which had withdrawn right to the tent sites in the late season, and slept in when I left early the next morning via Ava. Gulch. I took a route to the left of 'The Heart' to climb alone among the needle-ice formations due to thawing and refreezing of the snow surface, which made for an eerie climb in the dark. I took a lesser traveled gully for a bit of a challenge beside a fairly large cornice and up onto the first snowfield. The upper snowfield was an interesting piece and then hiding among the rocks on the far side I tried to get some blood-flow back into my fingers and decided to spend some $ on better gloves for my next climb. I took an interesting route to the summit from the sulfur fields as I failed to notice the fairly obvious trail that led an easy way around to the west side of the summit. I however, did some sketchy scrambling around the North-East side only to shimmy up through a chimney (pretty neat) only to come up out of the crack upon the summit where others had gathered. After some strange looks due to my route of choice I joined them in a congratulatory beer (slushy) and a few pix before enjoying a rapid glissade down the gulch which was more like an ice luge course at that point!
oliverkalt - Aug 7, 2009 2:08 am Date Climbed: Jun 4, 2007
Avalanche Gulch
Barely made it up and down before a storm. Nobody who left camp at Helen Lake after 3am made the summit on that day.
phydeux - Aug 3, 2009 12:16 am Date Climbed: Jun 1, 1990
Done it Twice
Did it in both 1990 (north side with friends) and in 1992 (solo) on the south side. Fun climb on the north side, crowded grunt on the south side.
Seriously, the weather could not have been better for this trip. Perfectly clear skies, low winds and good snow made for a safe and beautiful ascent. We left Lake Helen around 4:45 and summited at 9:15. A low-wind, high-sun summit made for a nice rest before glissading down to Helen. The forest service rangers had a constant presence, always making sure climbers were safe and having fun (as well as checking for summit passes of course). My husband spoke with one of the rangers at length about an intense winter rescue some years ago. We were blessed to have such excellent weather yesterday.
requiem - Jul 6, 2009 5:40 pm Date Climbed: Jun 29, 2009
1st time success!
day 1: drove up early Saturday to spend the day and night hiking around and acclimating an extra day, before attempting the Avalanche Gulch route. day 2: got up to Helen Lake and spent lots of time melting snow. slept early and got up around 2AM on day 3, ate and prepped gear to leave for a successful summit bid around 3:45 AM. snow coverage btwn Red Banks and the Thumb was thin so on Rangers' recommendation we ascended the third chute from the right in the Red Banks. weather was great, a bit windy up near the summit but nothing that kept us from topping out! long day though, as we hiked out and drove the 4+ hours home after summiting. good times.
Got a late start ended up rather sick until 4:00 AM. Beautiful at the summit sunny and no wind. Lots of little sun cups but snow was solid in the early morning.
apachedino - Jul 5, 2009 2:43 pm Date Climbed: Jun 23, 2009
Hotlum-Bolum
Took the Hotlum-Bolum and were the only ones on the route for the start of a 8 day climbing trip that turned out perfect. Great snow conditions.
POLUKO - Jun 25, 2009 3:02 am Date Climbed: Jun 12, 2009
Two tries
I did two attempts in one week. First one I got turned around because of weather at red banks from horse camp. The second one I got to the top of misery hill from helen lake and turned back due to AMS. Still an awesome mountain and I will be back.
haishan - Sep 28, 2009 1:43 am Date Climbed: May 25, 2009
WFGFinally got up this guy. Skied the WFG along with about 30 others that day. Best skiing of the weekend was the S-facing snow patch coming down from Shastina the day before.
cdewhurst - Sep 21, 2009 5:22 pm Date Climbed: May 26, 2006
cdewhurstLearned a lot on this awesome climb. 1-I love climbing 2.Don't leave your sweater in the car on a snow climb 3. don't fill your water bladder and have near your clothes in case it leaks 4. teeth chattering from cold is not only very uncomfortable it also hurts the toungue. Will climb this one again. Can't explain how beautiful climbing a snow peak is.
colinpence - Sep 17, 2009 11:32 pm
in the cloudsThis was my very first 14er. I think it was the summer of '81. I climbed with a friend, and we camped overnight at a cabin halfway up the mountain. Along the way we encountered snowfields that seemed endless.
I had climbed Lassen a few days prior to attempting Shasta, so I thought I was in good shape. Boy, was I wrong. Luckily my youthful energy and determination to complete the summit overcame my lack of preparation, and bad weather weather that I encountered on the climb. Thank goodness for the hot water springs to warm my hands, but it was too bad there was no view at the summit due to the clouds. Following the hike, I was not able to move for three days due to exhaustion.
granjero - Sep 8, 2009 6:39 pm Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2006
Hotlum-Wintun7300 vertical foot perfect corn ski descent? Check! Repeated in June of 2007 with equally awesome conditions.
rmick25 - Sep 3, 2009 8:33 pm Date Climbed: Jun 6, 2008
First 14erTook Avalanche Gulch and was fortunate to have a late season storm before we got there. There was a windy winter resulting in a lack of snow on the approach from Horse Camp. Winds were incredible at the top and we essentially crawled. Great Glissade below the heart.
Buckaroo - Sep 3, 2009 4:44 pm Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2002
Hotlum Wintun RidgeSolo Hotlum-Wintun then right into Hotlum ice gully, bivied at about 11,000 ft. came back down all on the rock ridge, there was no snow except at the top. Beautiful day. Nice approach too, compared to the bushwacks of Rainier, Shasta has very open and dry forests. Plus acclimated in town at 4,000 ft. for a few days so felt really nice compared to Rainier where you start at sea level. There's also some neat lava tube caves N of the peak for exploring on a rainy day.
cab - Aug 31, 2009 3:18 pm Date Climbed: May 26, 2006
Avalanche GulchMy first snow climb! Camped at Helen Lake and froze all night because my sleeping pad had a hole in it. Was glad to get moving early with the alpine start and really enjoyed the climb to the top. Great weather. This one got me hooked on mountaineering!
Dennis Poulin - Aug 30, 2009 3:24 pm Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2009
Clear CreekDayhiked this one. Lots of scree which was pretty miserable. 4th time on the summit of Mt Shasta. Beautiful day on an uncrowded route.
ericwillhite - Aug 29, 2009 9:48 pm Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2009
Clear Creek RouteJust a climbers trail all the way to the summit. Safe route in late season, was having flashbacks of Aconcagua with all the scree trails. Pics and map of route at http://www.willhiteweb.com/california_climbing/clear_creek_route/mount_shasta_164.htm
zplustwo - Aug 18, 2009 12:24 pm Date Climbed: Jun 14, 2009
Avy GulchSummit for Someone victory.
Deltakyp - Aug 15, 2009 10:26 pm Date Climbed: Sep 9, 2006
My first 14'erDragged a friend with me on my first solo glaciated climb after taking a mountaineering course in July. My friend stayed at Helen Lake and played in the snow which had withdrawn right to the tent sites in the late season, and slept in when I left early the next morning via Ava. Gulch. I took a route to the left of 'The Heart' to climb alone among the needle-ice formations due to thawing and refreezing of the snow surface, which made for an eerie climb in the dark. I took a lesser traveled gully for a bit of a challenge beside a fairly large cornice and up onto the first snowfield. The upper snowfield was an interesting piece and then hiding among the rocks on the far side I tried to get some blood-flow back into my fingers and decided to spend some $ on better gloves for my next climb. I took an interesting route to the summit from the sulfur fields as I failed to notice the fairly obvious trail that led an easy way around to the west side of the summit. I however, did some sketchy scrambling around the North-East side only to shimmy up through a chimney (pretty neat) only to come up out of the crack upon the summit where others had gathered. After some strange looks due to my route of choice I joined them in a congratulatory beer (slushy) and a few pix before enjoying a rapid glissade down the gulch which was more like an ice luge course at that point!
oliverkalt - Aug 7, 2009 2:08 am Date Climbed: Jun 4, 2007
Avalanche GulchBarely made it up and down before a storm. Nobody who left camp at Helen Lake after 3am made the summit on that day.
phydeux - Aug 3, 2009 12:16 am Date Climbed: Jun 1, 1990
Done it TwiceDid it in both 1990 (north side with friends) and in 1992 (solo) on the south side. Fun climb on the north side, crowded grunt on the south side.
bruceg - Jul 31, 2009 2:02 pm Date Climbed: Jul 4, 1988
Hotlum GlacierGreat climb. My friends carried skis and had a 6,000 foot run down the snowfield south of the glacier.
WML - Jul 30, 2009 1:34 am Date Climbed: May 9, 2009
Casaval RidgeSuccess. Fun route with good scenery.
iditarod81 - Jul 27, 2009 3:22 pm Date Climbed: Jul 26, 2009
Avalanche GulchSeriously, the weather could not have been better for this trip. Perfectly clear skies, low winds and good snow made for a safe and beautiful ascent. We left Lake Helen around 4:45 and summited at 9:15. A low-wind, high-sun summit made for a nice rest before glissading down to Helen. The forest service rangers had a constant presence, always making sure climbers were safe and having fun (as well as checking for summit passes of course). My husband spoke with one of the rangers at length about an intense winter rescue some years ago. We were blessed to have such excellent weather yesterday.
requiem - Jul 6, 2009 5:40 pm Date Climbed: Jun 29, 2009
1st time success!day 1: drove up early Saturday to spend the day and night hiking around and acclimating an extra day, before attempting the Avalanche Gulch route. day 2: got up to Helen Lake and spent lots of time melting snow. slept early and got up around 2AM on day 3, ate and prepped gear to leave for a successful summit bid around 3:45 AM. snow coverage btwn Red Banks and the Thumb was thin so on Rangers' recommendation we ascended the third chute from the right in the Red Banks. weather was great, a bit windy up near the summit but nothing that kept us from topping out! long day though, as we hiked out and drove the 4+ hours home after summiting. good times.
zoink - Jul 5, 2009 10:08 pm Date Climbed: Jul 5, 2009
Bunny Flat > Avalanche GulchGot a late start ended up rather sick until 4:00 AM. Beautiful at the summit sunny and no wind. Lots of little sun cups but snow was solid in the early morning.
apachedino - Jul 5, 2009 2:43 pm Date Climbed: Jun 23, 2009
Hotlum-BolumTook the Hotlum-Bolum and were the only ones on the route for the start of a 8 day climbing trip that turned out perfect. Great snow conditions.
POLUKO - Jun 25, 2009 3:02 am Date Climbed: Jun 12, 2009
Two triesI did two attempts in one week. First one I got turned around because of weather at red banks from horse camp. The second one I got to the top of misery hill from helen lake and turned back due to AMS. Still an awesome mountain and I will be back.