by the way, This road is often closed from about December through April to June by snow. Also, my favorite non-Ski lift Run on mt. Shasta is from Bunny Flat down to where Everitt Memorial highway meets the 7 mile Curve Road. My favorite Ski lift Runs are Douglas and Marmot. Coyote is way to scary for me I find. Once I tried to ski with the newer parabolic skis I had never skied on and almost killed myself on Coyote because parabolics tend to oversteer if you didn't learn to ski on them in the first place so I wound up going downhill backwards (which you really don't want to be doing on a black diamond run and the steepest slopes at Mt. Shasta Ski park. So, as I was skiing backwards out of control I dropped to the ground and planted the bottom of my right ski pole into the snow before I died and this slowed me enough so I didn't crash into a tree at about 40 miles and hour so this saved me. However, I was so close to death that at that point I took these rental skis off and walked down the rest of the way even though it is very awkward to walk in Downhill Ski Boots. However, at least I was alive which is important, especially if you are married with children.
So, the 7 mile curve road is basically (like the Medicine lake Road only open when the snows have all melted out at that elevation. I would say is it at an elevation of between 5000 and 6000 feet somewhere because Bunny Flat is at 6900 feet where most people climb Mt. Shasta From (even though there are other routes all over the mountain from all sides) most people still climb here (the majority of them) at Bunny Flat up towards the Sierra Club Emergency hut on up past Lake Helen and then they park there backpacks and tents there and climb to the top from about 10,000 feet with usually a day pack and an Ice Axe with Crampons most times of the year to stay alive on the snow as you move towards the summit at around 14,161 feet or so.
So, the 7 mile curve when it's open (usually at least 3 months a year from June or July (depending upon the year until at least September or October depending upon the year before the snow starts sticking on this road again (because it usually isn't plowed by snow plows.
So, as you drive in through this dirt and rocky road past incredible scenery and wilderness areas you eventually come to where McGinnis Springs is. But, if you don't know where it is you likely are not going to find it unless you know the distance from Everitt Memorial Highway and where to turn to your left to go up another 4 wheel drive road to McGinnis Springs.
Also, there is a Tibetan Stupa near McGinnis Springs within a mile or two of there on private land which is pretty amazing too, (especially if like me you have visited Tibetan places in the Himalayas with Tibetan Stupas there too like I have.
Then if you travel far enough on the right 4 wheel drive roads you find a road that begins to take you over towards the other side of the mountain closer to McCloud on 4 wheel drive roads.
However, about 5 years ago now my good friend and I set off down this road and too late I realized no one had traveled on this road down towards Mud Creek in likely about 5 years so it was pretty dangerous and had Boulders that had come down partially blocking the road. So, my friend got out and started moving boulders and tree branches and debris from the road and throwing it down a steep embankment so we could keep going around the mountain Closer to Clear CReek and Cold Creek by 4 wheel drive roads around Mt. Shasta.
However, when we got to Mud Creek and Wanted to cross it it was pretty dangerous because of the depth of the Creek this time of year which lkely was somewhere between May and August of that year. So, the current was extreme on the creek and I worried it might push my Tundra 4 wheel drive off a waterfall nearby.
So, I got a pole (big Stick) to support me and waded across the creek using the pole to prevent me from being washed over a waterfall nearby. However, when I got to the other side I realized I couldn't get back because I was warn out just crossing it to the east to begin with. So, I threw my keys to my truck across to my friend and told him to drive across in 4 wheel drive low range. He complained but I said I didn't want to be washed over the waterfalls because I was too tired after crossing the river at that point to make it back to the other side. So, luckily when he drove it he went exactly the right speed and the water was up past the hubs on the truck so as it bounced up the bank on my side of the river I knew we were all going to be okay.
Then the strangest thing happened which was we came across Tree poachers and their mad junk yard dog tried to attack our 4 wheel drive so we just kept going because we didn't want these criminals to shoot at us. So, we just kept moving out of there away from all of this.
So, this was quite an adventure for us and we all survived it as you can see.
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