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Climb, ski & hike Mount Shasta
Mt. Shasta Climbing Season Report
We all wondered what the 2020 climbing season would bring to Mt. Shasta. A relatively dry winter was followed by a robust spring which led to a health and economic crisis like never before seen. To maintain hope this season we were fortunate to operate and offered guided outdoor experiences here on Mt. Shasta. Mountaineering requires preparation, planning, training, motivation, etc. throw in a global pandemic and one may question the necessity for these activities. When we first got clearance to operate, we debated the merits of doing so during a pandemic. But the season went well – we had lots of successful summits, mountain skills learned, and life-changing moments.
Sunrise climb Hotlum Glacier Mt. Shasta
The Coopers, father and daughter climb for BCPP
It became very clear to us the value these experiences have for our guests as well as our staff. Real human connection over a shared goal in a wild and natural setting is becoming a diminishing resource and yet more important than ever.
Climbing with the Coopers (twice!) this season exemplified this. David and his daughter Kara climbed to support the BCPP and for themselves and it was a wonderful inspiration to be part of. Guides Caleb and Maddie and all of us were touched by their renewed interest in Mt. Shasta after 30 years.
Another highlight was climbing with a team from Trailmixers, a non profit organization to raise money benefiting LGBTQ+ youth. We had a blast with this crew, they brought great energy and enthusiasm for their Shasta climb and the guides were stoked to be a part of the adventure. Thanks y’all!
Trailmixer Team on Mt. Shasta summit
We’ve always found the Mt. Shasta ascent to help create lifelong bonds and memories. And during times of crisis and continued dissonance, this has been a positive light for all who made the journey to Far Northern California. The feedback from our climbers has been extraordinary and to witness positive effects of these trips this season has been a tremendous highlight. Our operating season was a short one; we ran from Memorial Day to Labor Day and we offered private and semi-private small groups and teams. This proved to be effective and we had a safe and successful year.
Hotlum Glacier Climb Teams
Moving forward, we usually take a break in the fall in the Southern Cascades. With generally poor conditions on all routes, and now the air thick with wildfire smoke from nearby fires, we have completed our final trips for the 2020 season. As well, the guides take some time to recharge and fuel their personal objectives, they are a vital asset to our operations and are amazing and passionate humans.
Mt. Shasta Mountaineering
With all the challenges we faced this year, we feel a huge gratitude to our crew and guests. With a reduced capacity, this forced us to focus on our core team and values and dial in our services and systems and we’ll return stronger than ever. To our administrative and guide staff a huge thank you. To our climbers and guests, congratulations on your accomplishments and passion for climbing and Mt. Shasta. Thank you for taking a chance with us this year, and we hope to see you in the mountains again soon.
Guide Life Mt. Shasta, CA
Once snow starts falling and we have a 40-60” base we will start to offer ski tours and clinics. We have a critical period for our country until then. The next few weeks will require us to be well informed and proactive in maintaining our voting rights. Please seek balance, truth, and compassion and please VOTE this November. Our future depends on it. See you on the Volcano.
Mt. Shasta Open for Guiding
Shasta Mountain Guides is back leading summit climbs and seminars on Mt. Shasta! We are open and taking reservations and have developed new operating guidelines to compensate for the physical distancing requirements. After a delayed start we led our first trips of the new season last week.
Mt. Shasta and Shastina
Mt. Shasta has been on the receiving end of several winter storms which has boosted our snowpack and extended the climbing and ski season. It has been fantastic to welcome guests back to the mountain and a great relief to see happy and healthy climbers achieve their goals.
Shasta Mountain Guides Avalanche Gulch
We led our first climbing, skiing, and glacier trips this week and the conditions were excellent. Jonathan Cahill skied endless corn for 4 days on our ski mountaineering seminar. We have our newly introduced Advanced Ski Mountaineering seminar this weekend along with our final ski descent and summit climb of the season. With the new snow this week, conditions are great for a final turns on the volcano.
JC finding perfect skiing Mt. Shasta
Justin Duvenick led a custom Glacier Seminar on the Hotlum and found the seracs and crevasses ideal for training and learning these advanced skills. Our Glacier II Seminar and Advanced Ski Mountaineering Seminar are held here, Shasta’s largest glacier.
Climbing the Hotlum Glacier
We love the Hotlum Glacier and find it to be an ideal classroom with a spectacular setting.
Mt. Shasta Glacier Climbing
Tailer Spinney, Mikey Bell, and Jamie Carter climbed the traditional Avalanche Gulch route with guests and reached the summit in near perfect weather. Avalanche Gulch should have good snow conditions through June offering moderate climbing on the most popular route.
Mt. Shasta summit
We are extremely grateful to our guide staff and guests who are modifying their plans to make these adventures feasible under new travel restrictions. We understand there are many questions and concerns as we move into more widespread openings and welcome your questions and feedback.
Climbing Mt. Shasta – Season Update
We are about midway through our water year in Northern California and the climbing season is quickly approaching. The quality and length of the climbing on Mt. Shasta is largely determined by our overall winter snowpack. Fortunately winter around here doesn’t follow any schedules so it’s possible to see snow year round on Mt. Shasta.
Mt. Shasta Old Ski Bowl February 2020
As of mid February 2020, we are approximately 50% of normal for precipitation. This is not ideal, but it’s not too alarming either. Despite the low numbers, it’s been an enjoyable winter with good skiing to be found in the Mt. Shasta backcountry and the Mt. Shasta Ski Park.
Mt. Shasta Backcountry skiing
And as we are forever optimistic, it will only take a couple classic Mt. Shasta orographically driven storms to get us right back to normal. Although February has been dry, it’s not uncommon for storms to deliver well into June on the mountain.
For best climbing conditions we are recommending May and June on Avalanche Gulch and the West Face. The north side and glacier climbing routes we expect June-August for best conditions. And for ski mountaineering, April through mid June should have best turns on the volcano.
Mt. Shasta Ski Mountaineering
Know Before You Go Mt. Shasta
We are excited to welcome the Nickolay Dodov Foundation to Mt. Shasta this Saturday February 22 at 4:00pm for a FREE Know Before You Go Avalanche Seminar. Natalia and the NDF have made it their mission to provide avalanche education and increase awareness. We welcome everyone to attend this 1-2 hour discussion hosted at Loge Camp in Mt. Shasta. We’re excited to host this for the youth athletes of the Mt. Shasta Ski Team and all the young Shasta skiers.
As we look ahead to the upcoming mountaineering season, we are constantly seeking new opportunities for our guests. One of our favorite guide’s day-off activities has been ski mountaineering on the Hotlum Glacier.
Skiing up the Hotlum Glacier
This route provides a stunning backdrop of ice falls and seracs and can have prime skiing later in the season on Mt. Shasta. Senior guides Greg Cunningham and Eric Layton designed a more advanced ski mountaineering seminar on the Hotlum. This new 4 day program will take the basics of ski touring to the next level with specific glacier travel, and ski and splitboard mountaineering techniques on the classic Cascade. Mt. Shasta Advanced Ski Mountaineering Seminar May 28-31.
Hotlum Glacier Skiing Mt. Shasta
Speaking of our guides, they are the backbone of our organization and are responsible for ensuring your safety, enjoyment, and success on Mt. Shasta. We have updated our guide bio page to better highlight the remarkable individuals that come together as a team on this amazing mountain. These guides are more than trusted partners, capable leaders, and respected friends; they are our family and we are forever grateful to the crew that make our trips so special. Check them out here.
We’ll be doing our snow dance and hoping for more winter weather before we fully embrace spring quite yet. Here’s hoping for a Miracle March and deep snow ahead!
Mt. Shasta Summer Update
It’s summer on Mt. Shasta and there is still time to climb California’s most cherished peak. With the payoff from a big winter snowpack, most routes remain in good to excellent condition. We’re transitioning from the Avalanche Gulch route and our groups are accessing the north and east sides of the mountain in search of more technical challenge and stellar views. The last few weeks have brought more consistent temperatures and mild sunny days, with warm days ahead, there’s no better time to be on Mt. Shatsta.
With the change of the season comes a transition to a focus on glacier skills and technical instruction. We offer courses tailored to all levels of mountaineering experience. Our Glacier I Seminar follows a 4 day itinerary, and is perfect for the aspiring mountaineer seeking to build a solid foundation of mountain skills. In addition to a focus on skill building, the Glacier I Seminar provides an opportunity to climb the Hotlum-Bolam ridge route, culminating skills learned during the course and benefiting from two days of acclimation for a chance to summit Mt. Shasta.
Shasta Mountain Guides Glacier 1 Course
The Glacier II Seminar builds on the skills acquired in Glacier I or another similar alpine climb. The seminar provides an in-depth and comprehensive focus on glacial travel and crevasse rescue practice. Our next course is August 8-12,2019.
Hotlum Glacier
Held on the Hotlum Glacier, it is possible to access a series of icefalls providing a perfect training ground for ice climbing should the opportunity arise. The finale of the 5 day seminar includes a summit attempt via the dramatic Hotlum Glacier.
Glacier skills
The Hotlum Glacier offers terrain to build upon your mountaineering foundation. Crevasses and icefalls decorate the largest glacier in California and provides a perfect classroom to increase your confidence and safety. Climbing the Hotlum is one of Mt. Shasta’s most dramatic and unique features.
Hotlum Glacier Icefall
For those with goals of enjoying a scenic route but with a little less technical challenge there is the beautiful Clear Creek Route which lies on Mt. Shasta’s east face. Don’t be fooled though- while non-technical, the challenge of this route lies in overcoming long sections of loose rock and scree. Although most of the climb does travel on the broad Clear Creek bench, there are snow fields encountered and will require ice ax and crampons for a portions of the climb.
We continue to enjoy the benefits from a big winter snow season and mild spring and summer weather, it’s been a fantastic season on the volcano and conditions could not be better in northern California. This is the season to join us for a summit climb or backpacking trip on the Pacific Crest Trail or Lassen National Park. See you outside!
Mt. Shasta end of season update
Summer is winding down for us at Shasta Mountain Guides; and with it our climbing season is nearing an end. School is back in session, days are getting shorter, and the thought of rain and even snow are sounding very appealing.
Mt. Shasta north side
To be honest, it’s been a difficult late summer here in Northern California. Smoke from nearby wildfires has muddied our air and made for less than optimal conditions in the forests and on the mountain.
Climbing Hotlum-Bolam ridge Mt. Shasta, CA
We have been running our planned climbs and courses and have been mostly able to be above the smoke while on the mountain. Air quality conditions change daily and we had our first crystal clear day in weeks, much to the relief of locals and visitors alike.
We have just a couple of climbs remaining this year, our Glacier I Seminar has 2 more departures in September before we close it down for 2018 and start looking to the horizon for clouds and precipitation.
Basecamp Glacier seminar Hotlum-Bolam Mt. Shasta
Hotlum Glacier Icefall training
We have space on September 9-12 and a wait list for September 13-16. Conditions are difficult yet still reasonable, especially if the goal is building skills and learning snow and ice travel techniques. This course has been a favorite of both guides and guests and is a great way to experience Mt. Shasta glacier climbing.
Roped belay on the Hotlum Glacier
With the completion of the 2018 climbing season, we are now updating our calendar to reflect 2019 dates and courses. Please be in touch with any questions at all. We are eagerly anticipating the change of season and rain and snow can’t come soon enough!
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