Harvest - Aug 2, 2017 3:12 pm Date Climbed: May 14, 2017
Nice views
Nice views.
tarushbali - Jun 13, 2016 4:52 pm Date Climbed: Jun 12, 2016
West Face
No snow below Horse Camp. Traversing after Horse Camp is a combination of snow and talus traverse. Went up the 300' steep chute above Hidden Valley. The grade drops after that.
Glissaded back down from summit plateau. The first half till Whitney Glacier was icy at 10am. The chute was perfect corn for glissading.
Hidden Valley -> bottom of misery hill = 5 hrs
Misery hill -> summit = 2.5 hrs
colinr - Sep 8, 2015 3:41 pm Date Climbed: May 24, 2015
Fun glissade!
Maybe I'll return someday to go up the route; it was certainly an enjoyable way to descend from the summit and return to Sand Flat after ascending AG from Sand Flat in the morning.
WayneFry - Apr 30, 2013 1:49 am Date Climbed: Apr 27, 2013
West Face from Casaval High Camp
Climbed this route with a team of eight from Casaval high camp. We left base camp at 4am and hit the top at 10am. It's a great alternative route when Casaval ridge is no longer in shape.
AlexeyD - Jun 8, 2012 5:22 pm Date Climbed: May 29, 2012
perfect summit day!
Fantastic route, incredible scenery, almost no wind on the summit, and we had the whole route to ourselves!! All capped with an epic 4000' vertical glissade back down to Hidden Valley! Does mountaineering get much better than this?
Sort of a slog I guess, but not as crowded as Avy Gulch. Nice views all the way. Getting to Hidden Valley from Horse Camp is the crux :)
mrchad9 - May 4, 2010 2:42 pm Date Climbed: Jul 17, 2005
Super Route
This was my second to the summit and love this route- the glisside down is unbeatable. Tracked with a GPS and made it to a top speed of 18.2 mph.
SFMountaineer - Aug 4, 2009 12:20 pm Date Climbed: Jul 26, 2009
WFG
Great for mid summer, and the lack of crowds was a real plus (When compared to AG). Some really great camping spots in Hidden Valley also, with SHADE!!! The summit day is tough though, 5000 vertical is no joke. We had a beautiful (and hot) day. Couple stretches of rock, the stretch at about 13,000 before the headwall was hte most tricky. The crux of the climb was definitely from 9600 to 10000, pretty steep there.
forjan - May 27, 2009 5:44 pm Date Climbed: May 24, 2009
WFG comeback
After getting shutdown last year at 12,800' due to weather, came back this year and finished the route. Great weather, great conditions this time around. Climbed with our group of 11: Emilie, Isabelle, Enrique, Anna, Stephanie, Susan, Sharon, Brad, Charles, Joan and myself.
gomez13 - Apr 20, 2009 11:30 pm Date Climbed: May 21, 2008
Two Times a charm
Made the summit second time around. Route did not seem much harder than Avy Gulch except one steep section at around 13,000. No crowds and great views.
Dunedain - Jun 13, 2008 8:36 pm Date Climbed: May 18, 2008
Altitude sickness at 12,500.
Avy gulch was very melted out, so made a last minute change to West Face, hiked into Hidden Valley overy lots of exposed rock and scree - were expecting much more snow. Had a early start for the summit, got some altitude sickness and topped out at 12,500 feet - will be back next year.
panweilin - Oct 31, 2007 3:48 pm Date Climbed: Jun 10, 2007
Shasta via West Face
Backpacked to Hidden Valley the day before. Raining at night and whiteout in the morning. We started 8am and soon the sky cleared up, went up to the summit, enjoyed sunset view at Hidden Valley before heading back to Bunny Flat TH.
NewDayRising - Jul 11, 2007 12:12 am Date Climbed: May 14, 2007
AG-CR-WF Variation
Route: Avalanche Gulch-Casaval Ridge-West Face Variation
This year Mt Shasta had very low snowfall vs the average.
Solo. Left Horse Camp at 0800. Ascended AG to about 9000 feet then gain CR (1130). Stayed on CR til about 10500 feet, then traversed over to WF variation. (Stopped about 100 feet below Red Colored Rock /Red Banks elev (1600) then glissaded WF variation. Descended past horse camp. Had to backtrack and traverse over a couple minor ridges to get back to camp. Too tired to check watch or eat dinner. (Guessing on the elevations). I had fun none the less, and got a good survey of the other routes.
Misha - May 29, 2007 10:44 am Date Climbed: May 27, 2007
WFG
My 2nd time up the route; this time with friends: Pavel, Vendula, Mike, Maria, Steve, Gil. Almost all made it to the summit. The weather was pretty wild. Dense fog over the mountain in early morning, biting cold wind from the top of the face to the summit and finally gorgeous sunny weather down in Hidden Valley. Good times!
big_g - Jun 16, 2006 2:35 am Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2003
west face surprise
We hadn't intended on this route but ours was a lot wimpier looking in person and melted out so we made a last minute change. Loved it.
Harvest - Aug 2, 2017 3:12 pm Date Climbed: May 14, 2017
Nice viewsNice views.
tarushbali - Jun 13, 2016 4:52 pm Date Climbed: Jun 12, 2016
West FaceNo snow below Horse Camp. Traversing after Horse Camp is a combination of snow and talus traverse. Went up the 300' steep chute above Hidden Valley. The grade drops after that.
Glissaded back down from summit plateau. The first half till Whitney Glacier was icy at 10am. The chute was perfect corn for glissading.
Hidden Valley -> bottom of misery hill = 5 hrs
Misery hill -> summit = 2.5 hrs
colinr - Sep 8, 2015 3:41 pm Date Climbed: May 24, 2015
Fun glissade!Maybe I'll return someday to go up the route; it was certainly an enjoyable way to descend from the summit and return to Sand Flat after ascending AG from Sand Flat in the morning.
WayneFry - Apr 30, 2013 1:49 am Date Climbed: Apr 27, 2013
West Face from Casaval High CampClimbed this route with a team of eight from Casaval high camp. We left base camp at 4am and hit the top at 10am. It's a great alternative route when Casaval ridge is no longer in shape.
AlexeyD - Jun 8, 2012 5:22 pm Date Climbed: May 29, 2012
perfect summit day!Fantastic route, incredible scenery, almost no wind on the summit, and we had the whole route to ourselves!! All capped with an epic 4000' vertical glissade back down to Hidden Valley! Does mountaineering get much better than this?
rhyang - Dec 20, 2010 11:26 am
May 2006, April 2008Sort of a slog I guess, but not as crowded as Avy Gulch. Nice views all the way. Getting to Hidden Valley from Horse Camp is the crux :)
mrchad9 - May 4, 2010 2:42 pm Date Climbed: Jul 17, 2005
Super RouteThis was my second to the summit and love this route- the glisside down is unbeatable. Tracked with a GPS and made it to a top speed of 18.2 mph.
SFMountaineer - Aug 4, 2009 12:20 pm Date Climbed: Jul 26, 2009
WFGGreat for mid summer, and the lack of crowds was a real plus (When compared to AG). Some really great camping spots in Hidden Valley also, with SHADE!!! The summit day is tough though, 5000 vertical is no joke. We had a beautiful (and hot) day. Couple stretches of rock, the stretch at about 13,000 before the headwall was hte most tricky. The crux of the climb was definitely from 9600 to 10000, pretty steep there.
forjan - May 27, 2009 5:44 pm Date Climbed: May 24, 2009
WFG comebackAfter getting shutdown last year at 12,800' due to weather, came back this year and finished the route. Great weather, great conditions this time around. Climbed with our group of 11: Emilie, Isabelle, Enrique, Anna, Stephanie, Susan, Sharon, Brad, Charles, Joan and myself.
gomez13 - Apr 20, 2009 11:30 pm Date Climbed: May 21, 2008
Two Times a charmMade the summit second time around. Route did not seem much harder than Avy Gulch except one steep section at around 13,000. No crowds and great views.
Dunedain - Jun 13, 2008 8:36 pm Date Climbed: May 18, 2008
Altitude sickness at 12,500.Avy gulch was very melted out, so made a last minute change to West Face, hiked into Hidden Valley overy lots of exposed rock and scree - were expecting much more snow. Had a early start for the summit, got some altitude sickness and topped out at 12,500 feet - will be back next year.
panweilin - Oct 31, 2007 3:48 pm Date Climbed: Jun 10, 2007
Shasta via West FaceBackpacked to Hidden Valley the day before. Raining at night and whiteout in the morning. We started 8am and soon the sky cleared up, went up to the summit, enjoyed sunset view at Hidden Valley before heading back to Bunny Flat TH.
NewDayRising - Jul 11, 2007 12:12 am Date Climbed: May 14, 2007
AG-CR-WF VariationRoute: Avalanche Gulch-Casaval Ridge-West Face Variation
This year Mt Shasta had very low snowfall vs the average.
Solo. Left Horse Camp at 0800. Ascended AG to about 9000 feet then gain CR (1130). Stayed on CR til about 10500 feet, then traversed over to WF variation. (Stopped about 100 feet below Red Colored Rock /Red Banks elev (1600) then glissaded WF variation. Descended past horse camp. Had to backtrack and traverse over a couple minor ridges to get back to camp. Too tired to check watch or eat dinner. (Guessing on the elevations). I had fun none the less, and got a good survey of the other routes.
Misha - May 29, 2007 10:44 am Date Climbed: May 27, 2007
WFGMy 2nd time up the route; this time with friends: Pavel, Vendula, Mike, Maria, Steve, Gil. Almost all made it to the summit. The weather was pretty wild. Dense fog over the mountain in early morning, biting cold wind from the top of the face to the summit and finally gorgeous sunny weather down in Hidden Valley. Good times!
big_g - Jun 16, 2006 2:35 am Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2003
west face surpriseWe hadn't intended on this route but ours was a lot wimpier looking in person and melted out so we made a last minute change. Loved it.