Mount Shasta Climbing Trip in 2013

| wpfeiffer

Betsy and I climbed Mount Shasta at 14,179 ft in June 2013 for our second climbing trip of the year. Here is our itinerary for this two-day trip.

Day 1 (Saturday, June 8): Drive from Oakland to the town of Mount Shasta to eat lunch. Drive from town to the Bunny Flat trailhead at 6,950 ft. Pack 4-1/2 hours up the trail in Avalanche Gulch to Helen Lake at 10,400 ft where we camp for the night.
Day 2 (Sunday, June 9): Leave Helen Lake at dawn, and climb to the summit and back in 9 hours. Pack out in 2-1/2 hours, have dinner in town, and drive back to Oakland.

We were incredibly lucky with the weather. It was in the 50s with no wind when we were on the summit. Two days later the forecast was for a high in the 30s with gusts to 70 mph!

Photos and commentary follow.

  • Day 1: Saturday, June 8. We enjoy this nice view of Mount Shasta from a turnout on I-5.
  • We get our wilderness permit and summit pass at the Bunny Flat trailhead.
  • We put on our packs are are ready to climb up the standard Avalanche Gulch route, which is above Betsy’s head.
  • After a short way we get to Horse Camp where Betsy fills up her water bottle from this spring coming out of a pile of rocks. This is the only running water on the climb.
  • Further up the trail these white pasqueflowers are growing out of the rocks.
  • A cloud of dust marks a rockfall, which stopped before reaching us.
  • We follow footprints in the snow as we head for Helen Lake. It is the broad rocky ridge in the right center of the picture, and the only water there is frozen as snow.
  • We camp on a flat spot with a great view of the forests far below!
  • After setting up camp we check out our climbing route for the next day. It goes up the snow to the right of The Heart and then through Red Banks to the summit ridge. You can see tracks in the snow from previous climbers.
  • Day 2: Sunday, June 9. After a restless night we are awakened by early risers who start the climb with headlamps in the dark.
  • We wait until the light of dawn before starting our climb. We won’t get lost with all of the climbers ahead of us.
  • As we approach The Heart we have this great view of the shadow of Mount Shasta to the west. I stop for awhile to catch my breath since I have not had time to acclimate to the altitude.
  • The crux of the climb is going through this notch in Red Banks, which are well named.
  • Betsy follows the trail higher up where the snow has melted.
  • Betsy poses with the summit on the upper right. The weather is great!
  • Betsy waits for me on the summit as every step I take is a struggle in the thin air. We have a lot of company.
  • We briefly have the highest point to ourselves.
  • Going down is easy, especially where we can glissade on the snow above and below Red Banks.
  • By the time we get back to camp the mountain seems deserted. We pack up and make good time going down to finish another great adventure!