3-day Mount Shasta West Face ascent

A certified mountain guide wants to take you to the summit of Mount Shasta, at Northern California, in this amazing expedition.

3 Days

Apr - Sep

High

Intermediate

Description

Mount Shasta, with an estimated volume of 85 cubic miles, is the most voluminous volcano of the Cascade Range. Located in the Northern California, this steep-sided peak offers an amazing mountaineering opportunity. In this 3-day trip you will climb to its summit by the West Face route, under expert guidance.

The West Face offers a similarly difficult alternative to Avalanche Gulch, the most popular route of Shasta. It is a perfect option for ones who want to explore this mountain away from the crowds, instead of being a longer route.

The West Face route begins from Bunny Flat trailhead and heads up to the Sierra Club Hut. After 4 miles of traverse around the toe of Casaval Ridge, we will reach Hidden Valley. Here is the best option for overnight camping. From there to the top is a relatively straightforward and choose-your-own-adventure route.

Mount Shasta Wilderness area, established in 1984, is a protected wild region. It encompasses 38,200 acres of forests, tundra, lava flows, and glaciers. While climbing this mountain you will appreciate a wonderful landscape.

Furthermore, Mount Shasta represents, for a lot of people, much more than just a mere mountain. Native Americans revered the mountain since prehistoric times. On the other side, Shasta has also become very important to modern spiritual groups and cults.

So, if you wish to climb the challenging and scenic West Face route to the summit of Mount Shasta, please contact us! It will be a once in a lifetime experience!

Price includes

Accommodation included
Guiding fee
Harness
Helmet
Ice axe

Meeting point

We will meet at the Bunny Flat Trailhead at approximately 7:00 am.

Itinerary

Day 1: Approach to Hidden Valley Camp

At around 7:00 am. we will meet at the Bunny Flat Trailhead (6,950’). Following introductions and gear check with everyone to make sure nothing has been forgotten or left behind. If any climbing gear is being provided by GSG we will distribute it at this time. Before 8:00 am, we plan to hit the trial. Hidden Valley, which is located at 9,200 feet, will be your dedicated campsite for the expedition. As soon as we get to camp, we'll stop for a break, set up camp, enjoy the breathtaking views Hidden Valley has to offer and we'll head out to some low-angle snow slopes and lead an Intro to Mountaineering Course for a few hours after our afternoon tour. After the course, we'll return to camp, talk about the strategy for our summit attempt, eat dinner, pack our bags for the next day, and take in the stunning sunset with our fellow climbers. We'll need a good night's rest because we have an early start the next day.

Day 2: Summit bid on Mount Shasta

We must get up no later than 3:00 am, and we will be heading up the West Face before 4:00 am. We’ll ascend the West Face for 4,000 continuous feet until we reach the base of Misery Hill at 13,200’. From here we’ll take a short break, refuel with some snacks, hydrate, and continue up. Misery Hill is a small, snow-covered hill rising 1,000’ feet above the West Face and the Red Banks. Once atop Misery Hill the true Mount Shasta Summit is within sight and resides just across the flat Football Field we must cross. We will reach one of the classic volcanos in North America and will be standing proud and tall at 14,179’ feet! We’ll enjoy the views on the summit for as long as the weather permits, snap those important summit photos and selfies, refuel and hydrate, then eventually make our way back down to camp, descending the same path we climbed. Once back to camp we’ll fire up the stove, feed our calorie-depleted bodies the nutrients it deserves, and reminisce on the incredible day we just had with a great group of people!

Day 3: Descend back to Bunny Flats Trailhead

On this final day we'll have a leisurely morning where we will cook breakfast, pack up our bags, and begin the descent towards the Bunny Flat Trailhead where we began our adventure. Upon arrival back to the Bunny Flat Trailhead you will return any climbing equipment that was provided, kick off those mountaineering boots and slip into some comfy clothes.

About the guide

Ryan

5.0

(1)

Single Pitch Instructor

I am the founder of Golden State Guiding and an AMGA Single Pitch Instructor.

I have been climbing all over California for over 10 years from Joshua Tree and the High Sierra and from Yosemite to Owen's River Gorge. I enjoy climbing in all its forms but alpine starts, long approaches and high elevation gains are my favorite. The grueling days and long routes of the Sierras are where my heart lies.

At Golden State Guiding, we hold a valid permit to guide you legally in California´s Sierras. Golden State Guiding has only professional Guides trained by the AMGA who know all the ins and outs in these mountains and we´ll take you to all the best spots!

These are some of the spots where we can take you:
- Joshua Tree
- San Diego (Mission Gorge, Mount Woodson)
- Eastern Sierra (Lone Pine Peak, Mt Humphrey’s, Mt Emerson, Mount Sill, Bear Creek Spire, Laurel Mountain, Temple Crag, Crystal Crag, Cardinal Pinnacle, Iris Slab, Mammoth Lakes Basin, Clark Canyon)
- Red Rock

Languages

English

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What people are saying about Explore-Share

Man

Climbing with guide Guillaume was absolutely a highlight of my 2-week Europe vacation. Originally, we were planning on climbing in the Calanques, but the park was closed due to wind and fire danger. Guillaume chose another amazing location (Pic de Bretagne) based on my climbing abilities and preferences and kindly offered train station pick-up and hotel drop off, which I appreciated very much. The multi-pitch route we did was not only fun but also the right amount of challenge, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The communication from the team (Gauthier) was prompt and clear—highly recommend!

Maxine

Luis Silva was a great climbing guide and belayer! He taught me how to do moves that were difficult and encouraged me to try routes that were challenging for me! Because of his encouragement, I managed to complete these routes! I really enjoyed the climbs and completed 8 routes in the Sesimbra/Azoia area. The weather was perfect, no direct sun and cool enough to enjoy the climbs. Explore-Share made booking an outdoor climbing experience in Lisbon extremely easy. Luis, our guide, was fantastic, and the platform’s organization was flawless.

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You’re simply the best!!! :))) Explore-Share made everything easy and stress-free. Will definitely use again.

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