Mt Shasta, July 26, 2011

Here is a recent trip report to mighty Mt Shasta, CA.

I had a small window in my schedule and decided to take a one day solo mission. I have been fortunate to climb Shasta over 25 times and she never ceases to amaze me. A rock that looks 10 minutes away is usually closer to an hour.

The Brewer Creek trailhead leads to the mountain's best ski descent, the East Facing Wintun Hotlum route. Even at the end of July, there is still over 6,000 vertical available.



Around 11,000 feet, it started to warm up quickly. At 12,000 is the crossover to the more committing East face. Since I was sinking to my boot top, solo and clouds were starting to build, I decided the summit was not in the cards. (Interesting, normally we get turnaround from big winds and no hope of the summit snowfield softening. This was the first time denied due to warmth)



On the way down, I checked out the Hotlum Glacier up close.



The snow was super smooth to about 10,000, then very manageable sun cups to 7,500 and a 30 minute walk on the summer trail back to the car.

Beautiful deep blue sky in all your pictures. Very cool to be able to attempt to summit Shasta on a weekday.  Or any day for that matter. Did you see anyone else during the day?

It sounds like temps rose as you went higher. Was that a temperature inversion or just the warm of the day as the sun got higher in the sky? How much snow did Shasta get this year? Any issues with crevasses on your ski?

Welcome soulskier and thanks for the TR.

Harvey44 wrote

Beautiful deep blue sky in all your pictures. Very cool to be able to attempt to summit Shasta on a weekday.  Or any day for that matter. Did you see anyone else during the day?

It sounds like temps rose as you went higher. Was that a temperature inversion or just the warm of the day as the sun got higher in the sky? How much snow did Shasta get this year? Any issues with crevasses on your ski?

Welcome soulskier and thanks for the TR.

I did not see another soul on the mountain, it was awesome. It was just a warm day with no wind more than anything else. I think Shasta's snowfall was about 150% of normal this season, whatever that is. The Wintun Hotlum is crevasse free. Either side of the route there are some cracks but are easily avoided.

Harvey44 wrote

 How much snow did Shasta get this year?

Wasn't it Shasta that we had a pic of last season with the snow all the way up to the top of some lift towers ?

Snowballs wrote

Wasn't it Shasta that we had a pic of last season with the snow all the way up to the top of some lift towers ?

I think you are referring to Mt. Hood. Was that pic real?



BTW I had once joked with Jason and James that I would give a prize for the first TR posted by anyone on Harvey Road in any given month. Jason called me on it when he posted this TR from Zermatt - our first TR for July.

I also didn't cough up anything for this beauty that PDQ posted from AltaBird UT in May.

I did actually make good on a prize for our first October when Matt and Fuje post the Whiteface Toll Road TR last October.

So that leaves August and September, I think. Hmm.

Guess if I made it official I'd owe Jason and PDQ too huh.

nice TR, love the pix of snow in mid-aug

Harvey44 wrote

Snowballs wrote

Wasn't it Shasta that we had a pic of last season with the snow all the way up to the top of some lift towers ?

I think you are referring to Mt. Hood. Was that pic real?

Yea, Mt Hoodsta.....the gangsta hill.