Shasta next weekend

[111]

I was wondering if there are any other fun routes that can be traversed into from helen lake area. Can the upper portion of casaval be climbed if you traverse in from helen lake or is starting from horese camp mandatory? Anything worth doin off to the right of AG? Whats a good guidebook for shasta? Does anyone have info on the snow levels in AG or from the car?

[111]

oh, and are crevasses a problem on casaval ridge? (read: do we need ropes?) are tools necessary for that or just a walking axe?

[TMO]

Crevasses are not a problem on the Casaval Ridge. Looks a little trickey getting on the ridge from the lake... but probably doable. I have been on the ridge twice now and have not used ropes- we also used a walking axe in conjunction with a tool. I believe Sargents Ridge is to the right of AG??

[mkporwit]

Yep. Sargents Ridge is to the right of AG. Ropes should not be necessary for it.

 

As for a good guidebook -- take a look at "Climbing California's Fourteeners" by Porcella and Burns.

[jlag]

You can access Casaval from Helen Lake, but it may be more trouble than it's worth, A steep snow hike probably needing cramps/tool to gain the ridge. Might be easier to just go up lower Casaval to the flat spot and camp there.

 

As soon as the W. face starts corning up..... IT'S ON!!!!

 

 

JL

[111]

we should have a good TR on conditions for ya early next week!

 

[Jay Meyer]

I was also wondering about this, as a means of accessing West Face Gully. I'm planning on a summit attempt via Avalanche Gulch in mid-May (with a group of 5), then considering a smaller group attempt on West Face Gully. From the topo and pictures from an earlier trip, the traverse onto Casaval Ridge from Helen Lake looks very doable, but maybe I'm missing something?

[rhyang]

I was also wondering about this, as a means of accessing West Face Gully. I'm planning on a summit attempt via Avalanche Gulch in mid-May (with a group of 5), then considering a smaller group attempt on West Face Gully. From the topo and pictures from an earlier trip, the traverse onto Casaval Ridge from Helen Lake looks very doable, but maybe I'm missing something?

 

There are a couple of "windows" where you can traverse onto Casaval from the gulch.

 

Traversing from Casaval into West Face Gully is doable, but if you really want to climb WFG it's better to start from Hidden Valley, which IMO is more sheltered and less of a zoo than Helen. Here's a shot of Casaval from 2006, from about 10300' -

 

 

You can see the traverse to WFG around 11500'. I suspect most folks were using that as a descent back to their camps on Casaval (myself included).

[Jay Meyer]

RHYang: Thanks for the info, and the helpful picture! That seems to be consistent with my research, which shows two likely spots to traverse the ridge as shown in the pictures below. I think your picture shows the "back" (north) side of the upper gap that I identified.

 

I'm already committed to the Helen Lake portion of the trip (we have several newbies on our team) but no regrets there, especially in early season. A West Face Gully add-on would be great once I'm acclimatized, although it's off the beaten track and the traverse might be challenging. But that's why we're there in the first place, right?

 

 

 

[Chriznitch]

hey, I was up on Sargents (actually Green Butte Ridge) and watched a group of 2 climb up from AG to Casaval late Saturday afternoon. I was thinking, huh, that's interesting. Was that you 111?

Hell of a weekend on the mountain eh?!

[111]

no, we were a group of 4. camped at the saddle at 9500 or so. very interesting trip. I will post a TR when I have a bit of time.