Nice film. It’s truly a special mountain- a stratovolcano covered in glaciers rising steeply around 7000 feet from the forested trailheads. I managed to summit three times via the Avalanche Gulch route, overnighting at Helen Lake. On my fourth attempt the snow pack was gone, so I decided to attempt the Clear Creek route. I started from the trailhead at 6800 feet with a late 8:30 start time. The slopes above the treeline were steep and loose. It was one foot up and six inches down. It took three hours to ascend 2000 feet. By 3:30 in the afternoon I encountered the two climbers I knew to be in front of me coming down at around 13,000 feet. I knew that if I continued successfully to the summit, I’d be coming down alone in the dark. So I decided to bail and follow the other two climbers down. No regrets. A day in the mountains is always one of the best days in your life, and a day on Mt. Shasta is one of the best mountain days, summit or not. The ascent is optional, but the descent is mandatory!
Wow that sounds like a heck of a hike! You’re right, Shasta is a special mountain. We won’t forget the view while climbing up, it’s otherworldly. Cheers to more time in the mountains 🏔️
Thanks for taking this old man along on this adventure. Altitude wrecks your body at times. Ascending Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca, 17,100 feet) in Peru wasn’t technical, but the descent left me sprawled in the cool grass with a small pile of puke next to my head. “Just let me lay here.”
After over 50 Shasta summits, with mostly ski descents, it never gets old, even summited with my fiancee to make sure we were compatible, congratulations.
50?!? That’s so cool! It was definitely a spiritual place up there. What an interesting mountain topographically. Love how it rises up in the landscape.
@@dirtyjarhikes yes, very much, we still tell the story to our daughters and it led to more success for us as a couple on other 14ers. Just watched your Hayduke vid, so cool.
@Dadication3 that’s an amazing story to share with your daughters. climbing mountains can really improve our communication skills haha. it sounds like you and your wife know that well from experience
You make it look so easy. Instead it can't be since mountaineering is basically your job in the season and when you have to turn back it is serious. Incredibly great content. Wish you both had way more time to work on content for us yt-hikers.
