Summiting Shasta

Adapted from Epic Trips of the West by Tom Stienstra

Questions about Shasta

Answers to the ten most frequently asked questions about climbing Mount Shasta:

1. Is it necessary to have any mountaineering experience to climb Mount Shasta? No; in fact, only about 20 percent of those who try have mountain-climbing experience. What is necessary is to be in good physical condition.

2. What special equipment is necessary? Be certain to bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, ice ax, crampons for boots, and a day pack containing food, a map, and foul weather gear. A wilderness permit from the U.S. Forest Service is required.

3. How much does it cost? Wilderness permits are $15 for a three-day "summit pass," or $25 for an annual pass. Some of the trailhead parking areas charge $5/day for parking.

4. How long is the climb from Horse Camp? From Horse Camp to the summit is only about five miles, but with an elevation gain of 7,000 feet. People who successfully reach the peak do so in about eight hours.

5. How long does it take to return from the peak to Horse Camp? Usually about four hours, a bit more quickly if you ski or slide (which rangers do not advise).
6. To shorten the climb, can you camp higher on the mountain? Yes, you can camp at 10,440 feet at Helen Lake, which is actually a flat area, but this involves carrying all your camping gear up a long steep snowfield called Climber's Gully.
7. What are the most dangerous problems of the climb? Getting marooned at a high elevation during a sudden snow storm can lead to hypothermia. The most serious injuries are caused when rolling boulders strike climbers. Climbers without crampons and ice axes can slip and fall at the chute at Red Bank.
8. How many days should I plan for the trip? Most people who set up a base camp will spend two nights on the mountain, with one day for the ascent to the top and the return to the base camp.
9. How many people will I see? On weekends, an average of 15 to 20 people will attempt the climb, fewer on weekdays.
10. How much water should I carry? A minimum of two quarts, with plans to refuel at 13,000 feet in the chute at Red Bank. Water is the lifeblood of the trip, and we drank three to four quarts a piece.
11. Who do I contact to rent equipment, or for maps and more information? The Fifth Season in the town of Mount Shasta rents ice axes and crampons, and also sells an excellent guide map. They can be reached by phoning (916) 926-3606. A 24-hour climbing report is available by phoning (916) 926-5555. For area maps, guide services, lodging, and information, call Shasta Cascade at (800) 326-6944. There is no fee for wilderness permits, which must be obtained in person from the Mount Shasta Ranger District, (916) 926-4511.

If you want to climb Shasta but don't want to go it alone, contact Shasta Mountain Guides. Phone Michael Zanger at (916) 926-3117 or write to 1938 Hill Road, Mt. Shasta, CA 96067.

More Mountains to Climb

If you're looking for other peaks to challenge, here are two other California climbing favorites:

Mount Whitney: 14,496 feet—This is the Big One, the highest point in America's lower 48. It's a long steep hike from the trailhead at Whitney Portal, climbing 6,100 feet in ten miles. But a decent trail takes you to the top, so no mountaineering equipment is necessary, although crampons help greatly over snowfields.

Whitney is located in the southern Sierra above the town of Lone Pine on Highway 395. It's a giant rock cut by glaciers, not formed from a volcano like Shasta and Lassen, and the peak reflects it—sheer rock outcrops on the edge of dramatic, plunging canyons.

Nothing can prepare you for the lookout. It is absolutely astonishing. To the west is the entire Western Divide, to the north are rows of 11,000- to 13,000-foot peaks, and to the east the mountain drops straight down—an 11,000-foot drop in just 15 miles to the Owens Valley. The top itself is oval with a jagged edge, with a little rock house constructed to protect hikers from storms.

The hike is a genuine heart-thumper, yet inspiring at the same time. It includes 100 switchbacks to climb Wotan's Throne, and in the final miles, the ridge is cut by notch windows in the rode. You look through and the bottom drops thousands of feet at your boot tips. Some people try the 20-mile round-trip in one day, but that makes it an exhausting rush, dangerous at such high altitudes. A better strategy is to hike in and set up a base camp at 10,000 feet, getting acclimated to the altitude. The next day, you can hit the top and return, carrying a minimum of equipment for the ascent. A wilderness permit from the U.S. Forest Service is required.

Notes: Bring pain relievers for high altitude headaches, good hiking boots, warm weather gear in a daypack, along with plenty of water, high energy snacks, sunglasses, sunscreen, and a hat. It is advisable to set up an overnight camp at Trail Camp, dividing the hike into two pieces. Contact Inyo National Forest Mount Whitney Ranger District in Lone Pine for a wilderness permit, maps, and information; (619) 876-5542.

Mount Lassen: 10,457 feet—This is a good introduction to mountain climbing. The summit climb is a two-and-a-half-mile zigzag of a hike that just about anybody with a quart of water can handle, yet provides one of the most spectacular peaks anywhere.

You can drive to the trailhead at the base of the mountain set in Lassen Volcanic National Park, 50 miles east of Red Bluff. The trail surface is hard and flat, so you can get into a nice hiking rhythm, and with a 15-percent grade, it isn't a killer. Most people take under two hours to reach the top, about a 2,000-foot elevation gain. In the process, though, newcomers often ask themselves, "Why am I doing this?" When they reach the crest, they find out.

The view is superb, with the awesome Mount Shasta 100 miles north appearing close enough to reach out and grab. To the east are hundreds of miles of forests and lakes, with Lake Almanor a surprise jewel, and to the west, the land drops off to several small volcanic cones and the Central Valley.

The peak itself is the top of a huge volcanic flume and you can spend hours probing craters and hardened lava flows. Lassen last blew its top in a series of eruptions from 1914 to 1921, which in geologic time is only a few minutes ago.

It's a prime first mountain experience. We met people of all ages and in all kinds of physical shape. If you bring water and get an early start (by 8:30 a.m.), you'll probably make it. It's that simple.

Notes: Bring at least a quart of water, a windbreaker, sunglasses, sunscreen, and a hat, and get an early start to beat the heat. Note that Lassen Park will probably establish a hiker quota for this trail in the not-too-distant future. Contact the park before planning to set out for the climb. For a map and information, phone Lassen National Park at (916) 595-4444.

© Article copyright Foghorn Press. All rights reserved. Photo copyright Jane English/Earth Heart. All Rights Reserved.