Brief Description

Situated in the heart of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, in the northernmost reaches of California, Mount Shasta cuts an impressive figure above the horizon.

At 4,322 metres (14,179 feet) in elevation, Shasta is the second highest peak in the Cascade Range and fifth tallest mountain in the state of California. As a result, the peak has become a popular year-round mountaineering destination.

While it is easiest to climb in the summer, many mountaineers flock to its slopes in the winter to prepare for more challenging climbs in the Andes, Himalayas or Alaska Range.

Mount Shasta is a potential active volcano and is composed of four overlapping volcanic cones, which give the mountain its complex shape and also form the minor summit of Shastina.

Quick Facts about Mount Shasta

While Mount Shasta is not the highest peak in either the Cascade Range or California, it is the eleventh most prominent mountain in the United States and second most prominent in California.
Were it to be considered a separate mountain, instead of a satellite peak of Mount Shasta, Shastina would be the fourth highest peak in the Cascade Range.
Mount Shasta is home to the Whitney Glacier, which is the longest in California, and the Hotlum Glacier, which is the largest by volume in the state.

History of Mount Shasta

Humans have been living on and around Mount Shasta for the past 7,000 years and the native Karuk people still refer to the peak as Úytaahkoo or ‘White Mountain’.

While Spanish explorers were likely the first Europeans to see the mountain, Mount Shasta first appears in the record books in 1826 by a British-Canadian fur trader. In 1839, the peak was first named Rodgers Peak in a local map. However, the name was changed shortly thereafter to Mount Shasta.

The first known ascent of the mountain came in 1854 when an expedition led by Elias Pearce successfully reached the summit after several failed attempts earlier in the decade.

Experience Required for Climbing Mount Shasta

Depending on the route taken, Mount Shasta is considered to be an appropriate climb for novice as well as intermediate moutnaineers.

The simplest routes are not very steep, but do require scrambling over rock as well as climbing over a mix of snow and ice to the summit.

However, climbing Mount Shasta requires a high level of physical fitness. Most of the climb takes place at fairly high altitude and requires technical gear, which must be carried up some steep sections of the peak.

Overall, 15,000 people attempt to climb the mountain each year, of which roughly one-third succeed. Lack of physical fitness is one of the largest determining factors (inclement weather being the other).

Main Routes up Mount Shasta

There are six routes that lead up to the summit of Mount Shasta that range in difficulty from grade I to grade III.

The easiest of the routes and therefore the most popular is Avalanche Gulch (grade I). Starting from the Bunny Flat trailhead, climbers will ascend up past Horse Camp before entering the gulch. Situated between Casaval Ridge and Green Butte Ridge, the rest of the climb is a steep scramble up snow and ice until arriving at the Red Banks. From here, climbers simply need to walk across several plateaus and up Misery Hill before arriving at the top.

The Casaval Ridge route and Green Butte Ridge route (both grade III) also start from the Bunny Flat Trailhead and follow similar paths. However, instead of entering the gulch, these ridges run alongside it and require a mix of ice and rock climbing before arriving at the Red Banks. From here, the route is the same as Avalanche Gulch.

The West Face Gully route and Cascade Gulch route (both grade II) are not taken as often as the aforementioned routes, but are both viable. Starting from the Bunny Flat Trailhead, both begin similarly to the Avalanche Gulch route, but turn off toward the mountain at Hidden Valley. The Cascade Gulch heads up between Shastina and the main summit. It is best for early season or winter ascents as it becomes too melted and unstable during the summer. The West Face Gully heads up to the summit from the centre of the valley.

Sargents Ridge (grade III) is the sixth route and is not as frequently used as many of the others. It follows a similar trail to Green Butte Ridge and runs parallel up the mountain to it.