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On Sunday morning May 13, under sunny, crisp skies a group of strong advanced skiers summitted California’s 5th highest peak, the 2nd highest in the Cascade Range: the dramatic and rewarding Mt Shasta.  This represents a huge accomplishment!  When you summit Shasta you have ascended and descended a combined 14,000+ vertical feet in just a weekend. That’s huge! We work with guides from NASTC and Shasta Mt Guides for this 3-day alpine climbing and ski mountaineering trip.  We start at the Fifth Season shop, sort gear, and do a bag check. Once we’re sure everyone is set, we head up to the Bunny Flat trailhead and leave our cars there. We were a group of 4 plus 2 guides: Chris Fellows and Dane Brinkely.  Our group included 3 climbers who flew all the way in from Mexico, from a new partner program called Ski Madness (stay tuned for some big mountain skiing they’re going to be doing with us around the world).  In addition to Pablo, Joan, and Luis, our man Jack drove in from San Francisco and completed the well-rounded, fun group.  They all headed up to Horse Trails and made camp the first day, did some ice axe and crampon skills work, and a short climb before dinner.  The second day they did a more significant tour in order to continue to acclimatize. One of the forces that gets people on Shasta is the altitude and certainly if you come from sea level you have your work cut out  for you.  Around 10 or 12,000′ we humans start to “feel it.” Its an indescribable feeling: lethargic, lackadaisical, low-energy.  Makes it extra challenging to get to the top of a 14,000 peak! So they pushed through and after the tour, more skills work, and an early dinner it was off to bed. Alarms rang at midnite and the guides got the hot water going.  By 1:30am they were suited up: crampons? check, headlamps? check, moleskin? check. beacons on transmit? check.  Off they went.  Nine hours later – via the Helen Lake route – they were on the top and staring across the state’s open expanse beneath.  Its an amazing feeling being up there.  They had an epic, great ski down – perfect conditions for 6,000 vertical feet – then broke camp and made their way to the cars.  Good job everyone!

Here is what one of the climbers had to say: “It was an awesome experience…  Chris is an amazing human being, guide, skier and friend.  I could not ask for more…The mountain is impressive, the views astonishing, the runs long and fun…What a journey!  We will be back exploring other routes.  Thanks again a lot for all you did for us.”