"Go where you will within a radius of from fifty to
a hundred miles, there stands the colossal cone of Shasta, clad
in perpetual snow, the one grand landmark that never sets. While
Mount Whitney, situated near the southern extremity of the Sierra,
notwithstanding it lifts its granite summit some four or five
hundred feet higher than Shasta, is yet almost entirely snowless
during the summer months, and is so feebly individualized, the
traveller often searches for it in vain amid the thickets of
rival peaks by which it is surrounded."
--John Muir, Snow-Storm on Mount Shasta, 1877
A Ski / Snowboard Descent of Mount Shasta's Hotlum-Wintun
Ridge:
The Finest Spring Skiing Imaginable
..Mount Shasta, rising to
an elevation of 14,162 feet, is one of the largest Stratovolcanoes
in the world. Its enormous bulk has been estimated at 80-84 cubic
miles in volume. Not only is its sheer size overwhelming, but
it dominates the region for miles towering 10,000 feet above
the Sacramento River and the towns of Mount Shasta, Weed and
McCloud.
..A chain of towering volcanoes
extend from southwestern Canada through Washington, Oregon and
into northern California. These fire-born, ice-carved giants
dominate the Cascade Range. Nowhere else in the 48 contiguous
states has nature so dramatically linked these two great forces,
volcanic fire and glacial ice. Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen
anchor the southern end of the Cascade Mountain Range. Mount
Shasta, the second highest peak in the Cascade Range, rising
to an elevation of 14,162 feet, is only slightly lower than Mount
Rainier (14,410 feet). Mount Shasta has seven named glaciers
with the largest being the Wintun, Hotlum, Bolam and Whitney
Glaciers perched on the north and east slopes of the peak.
..Winter storms dump abundant
amounts of snow on the slopes of Mount Shasta. Twenty- to thirty-
foot drifts at the 7,000 to 8,000-foot level are not uncommon.
In the winter, the weather on the mountain can be abominable,
especially above tree line. During major storms that hit with
regularity, gale-force winds pushing storm clouds laden with
wet Pacific Ocean moisture in the form of snow, blast the peak
relentlessly.
..The combination of ample
snow lasting into the summer months, the great vertical relief
of the peak and the usually good weather in the spring, combine
to make Mount Shasta arguably the best ski summit in all of California,
if not the United States. Where else can one find a ski or snowboard
descent of up to 8,000 feet without the added danger of crevasses
found on Mount Rainier or Mount Baker. Yes, one can ski from
the summit of Mount Rainier descending 10,000 vertical feet,
but crevasses are a risk in the top 4,500 feet. Mount Shasta
is a fair weather peak by comparison, with far superior skiing.
On a good day the skiing on Mount Shasta rivals that of the best
ski resorts anywhere in the world, without the hassle of lift
lines and crowded slopes.
..There are numerous excellent
routes on Mount Shasta's north, east and west sides. In "Fifty
Classics .." I describe four of the best descent routes
on the mountain?Whitney Glacier, Bolam-Hotlum Ridge, Hotlum-Wintun
Ridge and Cascade Gulch. The Whitney Glacier is the largest glacier
on the mountain and is the most difficult with an ascent/descent
of over 8,600 feet. The Bolam-Hotlum Ridge (north side) and the
Hotlum-Wintun Ridge (east side) provide an exquisite 7,000-foot
descent. On the west side of the mountain, Cascade Gulch provides
a superb descent from the saddle between the main summit of Mount
Shasta and Shastina. Nearby, Avalanche Gulch is the standard
route used by hundreds of climbers attempting the summit each
weekend. This route is also a favorite of backcountry skiers
but, in my opinion, is a poor choice for the ski mountaineer.
The route becomes sun-cupped early in the spring ski season due
to the westerly exposure and is greatly overused by climbers.
The steep sides of Avalanche Gulch are prone to winter and spring
avalanches and the sanitary conditions at Lake Helen (base camp
for many climbers) are atrocious due to overuse. Of the four
descent routes described in the book, my favorite is described
below.
..The Hotlum-Wintun Ridge
is simply one of the best ski and snowboard descents in California.
It is rare to find a descent of any considerable length, let
alone one that drops 7,000 feet, with uniformly excellent snow
from the top to bottom as you will here. This route has something
for everyone--easy access, moderate terrain for intermediate
skiers and steeper terrain for experts. The summit can be accomplished
in a very long single day or with a base camp established after
a short three to four hour approach. A base camp will afford
the luxury of exploratory day trips as well as a trip to the
summit. Nearby is the Hotlum Glacier where ice climbing and crevasse
rescue techniques can be practiced.
..The dirt road to the trailhead
and parking area (7,200 feet) is not plowed and usually has melted
free of snow by late April or May--in heavy snowfall years, a
bit later. This trip is best from April through mid-June when
the snow turns to "spring corn". In early spring, the
parking area and the upper end of the road may still be covered
with snowdrifts from the prior winter. From the end of the road,
the Brewer Creek Trail's general direction is south, southwest
for the first 2+ miles and then turning west. After signing in
at the trailhead, follow the route of the Brewer Creek trail
or alternately set your sights on Mount Shasta's summit and head
in that direction. Both will lead you to the Hotlum-Wintun Ridge
and the proper route to the summit.
..Between 8,400 feet and 9,600
feet there are numerous spots to camp. The low growing trees
on the rounded ridges provide a bit of protection and offer excellent
campsite opportunities. Higher up, the saddle between the Wintun
and the Hotlum Glaciers provide excellent views of the summit,
the Hotlum's headwall and the crevasses of the Hotlum Glacier.
..The route from the end of
the trail to the summit is straightforward. Follow the ridge
between the Wintun and Holtum Glaciers to the summit. Around
11,400 feet the ridge becomes more distinctive. Near 12,400 feet
the route steepens markedly. At this point ascend the shallow
gully in the center of the ridge or traverse left onto the Wintun
Glacier/snowfield and continue to the summit. The summit is still
1,800 feet above. Keep on keeping on.
..The 7,000-foot ski descent
from the summit is worth every ounce of effort it takes to make
the climb. Your climb and ski / snowboard descent will be long
remembered and often discussed. On the summit, climbers coming
up the standard Avalanche Gulch route will be surprised to see
you standing there with your skis or board. The summit offers
superb 360-degree views of the mountains in southern Oregon,
the Trinity Alps and Lassen Peak. Your goal when setting out
in the morning should be to reach the summit in time for a descent
no later than 12:00 noon or 1:00 PM. This will dictate an extremely
early start in the pre-dawn morning. Your reward for such a ridiculously
early start will be a great sunrise and optimum snow conditions
on the descent. Beginning your descent later in the day may result
in less than ideal snow conditions as the snow turns to "mashed
potatoes" in the afternoon. Heed the advice of the celebrated
French guide and author, Gaston Rebuffat:
"Rise early. Fix a time-table to which you must try
to keep. One seldom regrets having made an early start, but one
always regrets having set off too late; first for reasons of
safety, the adage 'it is later than you think' is very true in
the mountains, but also because of the strange beauty of the
moment: the day comes to replace the night, the peaks gradually
lighten, it is the hour of mystery but also of hope. Setting
off by lantern-light, witnessing the birth of a new day as one
climbs to meet the sun, this is a wonderful experience."
Gaston Rebuffat, from On Snow and Rock, 1959.
In a Nutshell--Trip Summary
Route: Hotlum-Wintun Ridge
Map: Mount Shasta
Trip duration: 1-3 days
Level of difficulty: Intermediate skiing
below
11,000 feet and advanced
(Black Diamond) from the summit.
Mileage: About 6 miles to the summit,
sometimes longer in early spring when you must ski up the dirt
road for a couple of miles.
Elevation gain: Almost 7,000 feet from the trailhead.
Recommended for: A great run for all whether fixed-heel, free-heel
or snowboards.
How to get there: Mount Shasta is
located about 50 miles south of the California-Oregon border
and about the same distance north of Redding, near Mount Shasta
City and Interstate 5. Mount Shasta City, located at the base
of the mountain, is a clean and charming community of about 4,000
residents.
From Mount Shasta City (Interstate 5), proceed east on
Highway 89 to McCloud. Continue east for about 3.5 miles and
turn left on Pilgrims Creek Road (NF 13), a paved road. Proceed
7.1 miles to Sugar Pine Butte Road (NF 19) and turn left. From
this point the pavement turns to dirt. The roads are well marked
with signs indicating the direction to the Brewer Creek trailhead.
Proceed along Road NF 19, turn left on road 42N02 and then make
another left on road 42N10 and proceed to the Brewer Creek parking
area at 7,200 feet. The roads to the parking area are easily
passable in a sedan.
Wilderness Permits: Before you begin
your climb, register with the U.S. Forest Service in the town
of Mount Shasta or at the various trailheads. A fee is required
to park and to go above 10,000 feet. If you plan more than one
trip a year, it may be wise to purchase an annual use permit,
which includes parking. The annual pass can be purchased at the
District Ranger Office in Mount Shasta City. The Forest Service
has a very informative web page. It contains valuable information
on climbing Mount Shasta including road descriptions. Their web
page address is http://www.r5.fs.fed.us/shastatrinity/
Equipment and Mountain Conditions:
The Fifth Season, a mountaineering shop in Mount Shasta City,
is known for their wide selection of telemark skis, randonnee
skis and climbing equipment. They rent more backcountry ski equipment
than any other store in the United States, except for Recreational
Equipment Inc. (REI). They sell an excellent map of Mount Shasta
with detailed information on the various roads used to access
the trailheads on the east and north sides of the peak. Phone:
530-926-3606 and 530-926-5555 (snow and road condition report)
More About The Author
Paul Richins, Jr. is author of "50 Classic Backcountry
Ski and Snowboard Summits in California: Mount Shasta to Mount
Whitney" and maintains a web site, Backcountry
Resource Center , for hikers, climbers and backcountry skiers
wishing to explore the mountains of the world . Paul has over
30 years of climbing, hiking and ski mountaineering experience
and has climbed in Argentina, Ecuador, France, Norway, Alaska,
Yukon Territory, Washington, Wyoming, Oregon and California Cascades
and Sierra Nevada. He has plans to climb Mount Everest in April/May
2001. His extensive backcountry skiing experience includes skiing
nearly the length of the Sierra Nevada (Donner Pass to Mount
Olancha), completing numerous east-west traverses of the Sierra
Nevada, traversing the Teton Range, and making more than 30 traverses
(north-south and east-west) across Lassen Volcanic National Park.
He has skied from the summits of hundreds of peaks in search
for the best powder and spring snow descents for inclusion in
"50 Classic Backcountry Ski and Snowboard Summits "
including Mount Shasta 20 times by 9 routes.
"50 Classic Backcountry Ski and Snowboard Summits
in California: Mount Shasta to Mount Whitney" can be purchased
at selected book and backcountry ski stores, the publisher, Mountaineers
Books, at 800-553-4453, Amazon books, or best of all, from Paul
Richins' web site the Backcountry
Resource Center (http://pweb.jps.net/~prichins/backcountry_resource_center.htm)
This article is copyrighted. All rights reserved. No part
of this article may be reproduced in any form without written
permission of the author. (e-mail: prichins@jps.net)
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