[TR] Mt Shasta - AG 5/05

[Irish Guy]

Trip: [TR] Mt Shasta - AG 5/05 - Avalanche Gulch

 

Date: 5/5/2008

 

Trip Report:

 

A couple of college buddies from Chicago flew out here for their first taste of the mountains. With the low snow levels Mt Shasta has, we figured it would be a perfect spot for them to start. cluck, another buddy Steve and I decided on Avalanche Gulch. Saturday morning, we rented a van and took off for the 6 hour drive down to Mt Shasta. We couldn't believe how low the snow levels were once we finally saw the mountain.

 

We got down there in time for some microbrew carb loading at Billy Goats before heading up to the trailhead and turning in for the night. cluck and Steve skinned up, while I trudged along with my two buddies all in snowshoes. We cut out some of the time by making a bee-line for Horse Camp and then up the Avalanche Gulch. There was a small weather system passing through early that morning and the people we talked to coming down were not able to summit. Fortunately, the weather cleared up by early afternoon and stayed clear and sunny skies the rest of the time we were there.

 

The Heart was clearly visible, especially for the first week of May.

 

We made camp just below Helen Lake, digging out an area for our tents. We saw 2 other parties out that day, and basically had the mountain to ourselves.

 

A few clouds were out in the evening, but clear views all around.

 

We got up early knowing that for two of our party, this would be their virgin mountain.

 

We wore crampons from the start and made it up climber's right of the Heart with only trekking poles. cluck is taking in the views here:

 

We took the chimney directly above the heart to get through the Red Banks. It wasn't very steep and there was little, if any, ice on the route by the time we got there.

 

After the haul up Misery Hill, we got our first glimpse of the summit.

 

 

Four out five us summitted, one of the guys from Chicago was hurting from the altitude and length of the hike.

 

cluck glissading down

 

Nearing the parking lot and looking back up the AG route.

 

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

-Skis and skins, snowshoes

-Crampons and trekking poles, the ice axe was nice to have during the final summit section and the Red Banks

 

-I took the new Mt Hardwear South Col pack out. Incredibly lightweight and great compression. There's not much padding on the hipbelt, but it turned out to be very comfortable. The gear loops double as bottle openers, which is a bonus when you get back to the car/van. However, the bottom showed some wear from about 200 feet of glissading.

[NShighlander]

Nice work!

Wow, I've read and seen images of the snow conditions (or lack of!!!) down there! Seems to be the complete opposite, here!

I am planning on a trip down near the end of June to do the West Face Gully, any thoughts on what the conditions might be like based on what you saw?

 

Thanks

[111]

where does snow start? parking lot? horse camp?

[Irish Guy]

Thanks! I talked to a ranger about a week before heading down. He said that in the past, the optimal climbing window has been open until late August; but with such a lower snowpack higher up, that window may be open only until early-mid July. The AG route had really low snow levels, and there was even some significant rock falls in the heart on the way back down. Good luck with your trip!

 

The snow levels were closer to normal down below treeline. There were a few feet of snow at the parking lot. Higher up, the snow levels are below normal due to the higher winds scouring the rock.

 

Edited May 22, 2008 by Irish Guy

[NShighlander]

Thanks for the beta Irish Guy!

Hopefully things hold solid for a month or so!