casaval ridge

[skyclimb]

Conditions are perfect. Snow is amazing. Avy is low. Winds were low(60mph), and the sun was out. Now is the time for the ridge routes on this mountian. I would suggest either casaval or green butte/sargents. not long for sargents though. YEAH!

[gapertimmy]

skyclimb, have you skiied any other routes on shasta, anyone else?

[skyclimb]

I have not been on other sides of the mountian, however on the south side Avy gulch i am sure is still in. When i was down there tons of people were skiing it up! I have seen many people also ski the old ski bowl. I personally haven't skiied shasta though.

[Wopper]

I was down there in late May last year. A friend and I went up to about 10k, looked at the route, nicknamed it "Chossaval Ridge" and went back back to parking lot. We loaded up, drove to Smith and spent 4 wonderful days in the sun. IMHO - Chossaval Ridge is a heap and I would rather spend my climbing days else where

[ryland_moore]

Wopper, why don't you try getting off the couch during the winter and climbing Casaval Ridge. Then maybe you wouldn't call it chossaval. Would you climb Gib Ledges in Late May during a low snow year? Can't really say that you should expect much more as it is classified as a winter or early spring climb. As for ski descents, check out Hotlum-Bolum area on the other side. Less people and excellent terrain.

[Rodchester]

Would you climb Gib Ledges in Late May during a low snow year?

 

Isn't it June? In a late snow year? I think that was Wopper's point. This time of year it is chossaval.

 

I went up there once (March) and looked at it too. The weather got shitty so we didn't do it. But we got a decent look at it from our high camp (Before weather moved in) and it was supposed to be in great shape. No, I didn't get on it, but from high camp it just didn't look that great to me. Not very steep or pretty. at least compared to other things in Wash.

 

If I make it back down there in winter, or early spring, I might check it out. But it certainly didn't leave much of an impression on me either.

 

2 cents

[gapertimmy]

mmmm, that looks tasty shred

 

8========D

[Bill_Simpkins]

Clear Creek Route looked like good skiing. Glissaded down, sno fingers were pretty suncupped in early July.

[Wopper]

Just an opinion there tiger. Another opinion of mine is the entire mountain is a fucking heap and I would not go out of my way to climb it.

[Thrashador]

The Hotlum-Wintun glacier is a fine route imho. Far fewer folks than most other Shasta 'ski' routes.

 

A few years ago there was a note at the trailhead that read, "If anyone finds a lone tele boot attached to a binding and ski please call so and so at such and such number." WTF we thought and then proceeded to have a good laugh imagining the possible scenarios.

 

Turns out it was a Bay Area number. I relayed the tale to a buddy in SF who then read a post on The Well about someone who, on the same route, had indeed FOUND a lone tele boot attached to binding and ski.

 

Turns out someone replied to the post saying that they had lost their boot still attached to binding and ski. Don't remember the specifics but the gist was that said skier's boot was kind of loose on the climb due to comfort issues. Half way up the skier took a fall, off came the loose boot and down went 1/2 of their decent rig for a long ass ride. They gave up trying to find their gear and had to walk out with a tele boot on one foot and a teva on the other.

 

I'm not making this shit up!

[Lambone]

if any one wants to give this a go later this winter let me know...I'm psyched, just need partner.

[swaterfall]

It's a sweet line. I went part way up last year before dropping into avy gulch. I ended up summiting via the gulch, but the casaval ridge has been in my brain since then. I'm going to try to do a trip to shasta in early April. I was thinking of the Whitney glacier, but the casaval might be fun too.

[snodger]

Heres something to think about next time you're down there. Look over to the west of the mountain and check out the terrain just on the other side of I5. I can't remember the name of the mountain range but it looks like miles of shreddable terrain. All the times I've driven between PDX and SF and I didn't notice this awesome terrain till I was skiing the Avy gultch area last spring. I think the range is about 7-9000' but is over shadowed by Shasta. I've been meaning to check out what the access is like but there's always something else going on. Anyone know anything about it?

[Dan_Harris]

Those peaks are part of the Klamath Range. Mount Eddy is the higest point you see from I-5.

[cj001f]

I've been meaning to check out what the access is like but there's always something else going on. Anyone know anything about it?

The Trinity Alps - access is mostly on logging roads, and the whole place is remote. Alot of fun back there! There were signs of heavy avalanche activity (some hefty trees broke, etc.) on the summer backpacking trip I took in there.