Ever since I was a child I have wanted to climb Mt. Shasta. I remember driving
by on the 5
freeway and being impressed by its massive flanks as early as the age of
six.
Recently I organized a trip to climb this mountain. I realized that the odds were probably
against us. The stats do not lie; only 33 percent of those that attempt that summit
actually do make the top. Our trip date was the end of August. We hoped for good weather,
but we were highly aware that Mount Shasta creates its own weather, and a violent storm
could happen ANY time of the year. At 14,162 feet tall this is the tallest mountain in
Northern California. It is the second tallest volcano in the lower 48 states, just below
Mt. Rainier's elevation of 14,411 feet. Currently its an inactive volcano; it last blew
its top in 1786. In the last 750 years, Shasta has exploded about once per 250 years. This
means if you do the math, Shasta may blow its top sometime in the next 40 years.
Today there are eight glaciers on the mountain. These persist year round, although in the
winter months they are covered with snow. The best time to see the actual glacier is in
the summer months when the snow has melted and you can see the natural light or dark blue
color. Whitney Glacier, on the flanks of north west Shasta is by far the biggest glacier
in the entire state of California. The best view of this glacier can be seen from the
summit plateau at about 14,000 feet. California's best and biggest glaciers are found on
Mt. Shasta.
