Hi all,

I'm new to the mountaineering scene. A friend and I are looking to climb Shasta this spring, probably towards late May time frame. We both have a lot of outdoor experience, and he has more dealing with climbing than I do. Is Sergeant's Ridge a difficult route to climb? It seems like that when you get towards the top...any ideas what the conditions on that route are for the May? I'm looking for any help at all. Also I have a question about boots, I don't plan on doing many climbs like this would Merrell Sawtooths hold up while wearing crampons? Are there any good all around boots that I could buy if not? I mostly do hikes and some backpacking; I'm trying to avoid buying $500 mountaineering boots. Thanks!

The seargeants ridge route has some difficult sections (http://www.summitpost.org/sargents-ridge/167138). It might not be ideal for a first-timer, but it's not totally insane. If I had no mountaineering training and experience, I would not try this route. I would do some crampon/ice axe/self arrest training somewhere in Tahoe, maybe bag Round Top or something for training, then do Avy Gulch, but I'm the cautious type. As for conditions in late May, that's a crap-shoot as this season has been pretty weird and continues to be. You'll just have to monitor the boards and check the websites as your target date approaches to determine the conditions.

Your boots could be okay depending on the type of crampons you have. I did Shasta one time with a guy with normal, flexible-soled boots and his crampons came off a lot. He made it, but it was dangerous and a nuisance. However, he was probably using the step-in style crampons, like these http://www.rei.com/product/792590/black-diamond-sabretooth-pro-step-in-crampons-with-abs-plates. These only work with mountaineering boots. They sell more flexible crampons that work with most regular hiking boots, like these: http://www.rei.com/product/798354/black-diamond-contact-strap-crampons-with-abs-plates. I have both of the ones just linked and they are both fine, but if you're on steep ice or snow and only half of your foot is bearing the load of your whole body, you'll want rigid mountaineering boots and the appropriate crampons.

Good points about boots, Trawinksi. Cleric, you can always rent boots at the Fifth Season in Shasta if need be. They have good prices and will help you get fitted properly. It's a good way to try out plastic mountaineering boots, plus it may add a little margin of safety to your first climb. No need to buy them (until you get hooked on alpinism...)

Thanks for the replies. I can see on the AG map where Sergeant's Ridge and Green Butte Ridge connnect and the terrain becomes difficult after that. And I have seen some of the pictures on the Sergeant's Ridge page and some of the conditions look pretty extreme. I feel confident that we could climb this mountain without incident but I suppose I was looking for more of a thrill and seclusion than AG. It probably is a good idea to stay with that the first time though.

How difficult is the self arrest technique? As ridiculous as it sounds, is it something I could watch on YouTube and practice? My firend and I are both returning from the desert and I'm trying to get out and enjoy California more. We both will be doing a few hikes together and getting in shape before this trip and would be able to do a trip to Tahoe. We intend to camp a night on the mountain to acclimate and it would be unsafe for us to try to climb in a day. I know it' depends on the weather, what are your thoughts on the requirement of snow shoes? Thanks