Mt. Shasta’s 4th of July celebration – can’t wait

Fireworks over Lake Siskiyou

Mt. Shasta’s annual Fourth of July celebration is just a week away and the weather is feeling like summer time. It will be a weekend packed with events, with the downtown celebration set for Saturday and Sunday and the Fun Run/Walk, parade, and fireworks on Monday.

The Mt. Shasta Chamber of Commerce heads up the effort to create this wonderful small town event, which includes a street fair, live music and art shows. Mountain Runners puts on the “parade in reverse” Fun Run and Walk, which is a celebration of Independence Day along with family and fitness.

Below is the weekend schedule from the Chamber of Commerce:

Friday July 1st
10:00am – 4:00pm Walk/Run registration & T shirt pick up at the Armory
10:00am – 4:00pm Fiber Arts Show sponsored by the Sisson Museum – open daily –FREE (530) 926-5508

Saturday July 2nd
10:00am – 4:00pm Walk/Run registration & T shirt pick up at the Armory
10:00am – 7:00 pm Mt. Shasta Blvd. & Castle Street Vendors – Crafts & Food Booths
10:00am – 4:00pm Fiber Arts Show sponsored by the Sisson Museum – open daily –FREE (530) 926-5508
10:00am – 7:00pm Live entertainment throughout the street fair: Acrobats, Jugglers, More
On Stage: Jack Tafaro & Trevor Sellman-10am; Last call12pm; Nonessentials-2pm; Blue Relish-4 pm

Sunday July 3rd
10:00am – 4:00pm Walk/Run registration & T shirt pick up at the Armory
10:00am – 5:00pm Mt. Shasta Blvd. & Castle Street Vendors – Crafts & Food Booths
10:00am – 4:00pm Fiber Arts Show sponsored by the Sisson Museum – open daily –FREE (530) 926-5508
10:00am – 7:00pm Live entertainment throughout the street fair: Acrobats, Jugglers, More
On Stage: Therese Condit Swing & Jazz-10am; Sundown Poachers-12pm; Wild Blues Yonder -2pm;
Chick Music -4pm
7:00am – 1:00pm Community Breakfast by the Siskiyou Masonic Lodge #297 at the Mount Shasta Community Building on Alder St. All-you-can-eat, $8 Adults, $3 children.
5:00pm – 10:00pm Corben’s Ride Street Party – 200 Block of Mt. Shasta Blvd. Live music, dancing, entertainment.
5pm-Elvis; 6:30-8pm Chick Music; 8:30-10 Rockit

Monday July 4th
6:30am – 8:00am Register for July 4th Walk/Run & pick up pre-registration packages on Mt. Shasta Blvd.
across from Stage Door
6:30am – 11:00am Pancake Breakfast at St. Anthony’s Parish Hall. $8 adults, $5 kids under 6-All-you-can-eat pancakes, served with eggs, ham, orange juice & coffee.
8:30am Mountain Runners Walk/Run – Castle Street Starting Line
12:00 noon Annual Parade along Mt. Shasta Blvd. “Bears, Bears, Bears and More Bears”
7:00am – 4:00pm Castle Street Vendors – Crafts & Food Booths
12:00pm – 4:00pm Live Entertainment on Castle Street Stage
10:00am – 4:00pm Fiber Arts Show sponsored by the Sisson Museum – open daily

~NO PETS ALLOWED IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA ~ NO PERSONAL FIREWORKS~

————– Fireworks over Lake Siskiyou at around 9:45pm ————–
Mount Shasta Resort Green opens at 4:00pm for Community Appreciation Day.
Live Music: “The Billy’s”~ $2 admission per person will go to Fireworks Fund. Food and drinks available on site.
~ NO COOLERS or PETS or PERSONAL FIREWORKS
Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort: $1. Admission per person ~ NO PETS or PERSONAL FIREWORKS
For more information call the Mt. Shasta Visitors Bureau
530-926-4865 ext 203 or visit www.mtshastachamber.com

BC skiers exhilirated by spring corn in May

Spring skiing and mountaineering is in full tilt on Mount Shasta this year. On May 6th, the Mt. Shasta Fun Guide reported that Mt. Shasta “exceeds its corn expectations” - something backcountry skiers are blissful over. Folks are coming from all over the ski the ridiculous amounts of spring snow on Mt. Shasta and finding sweet conditions. If you’re coming to town, you can find backcountry info and direct experience by visiting The Fifth Season or Shasta Basecamp in Mt. Shasta. Both shops also rent and sell gear for backcountry adventures, from skiing to climbing. Currently the Shasta Basecamp website has a film from a ski mountaineering trip that features footage from a full summit and ski trip on Mt. Shasta (not from this year, there is a lot more snow this year than what you see in the film).

Shasta Mountain Guides and Sierra Wilderness Seminars are getting into full swing with spring mountaineering trips. It’s going to be a long climbing season with all of the snow, but its still good to book your trip early to make sure you get into a trip on snow rather than rock. These companies, as well as Robin Kohn (author of the Fun Guide) provide ski touring packages.

For folks who are considering climbing Mount Shasta or a ski mountaineering trip, you can learn a lot about the endeavor by reading the Shasta Avalanche Advisory site put up by the Forest Service climbing rangers.

Spring skiing on Mt. Shasta is glorious

Spring skiing on Mt. Shasta

After receiving 8 feet of snow in town in late March, the conditions on Mount Shasta have been ripe for glorious spring skiing. The snow is deep and folks are reporting spring corn conditions. Shasta Mountain Guides staff have been up enjoying the conditions and supplied the photo at right. SMG and Sierra Wilderness Seminars, the two companies that guide mountaineering trips on the mountain, are looking forward to a great mountaineering season.

If you’re a seasoned backcountry skier now is the time to get in some turns. The staff at The Fifth Season and Shasta Base Camp can give you condition reports, and you can always check the Shasta Avalanche website. Or, local guide Robin Kohn posts trip reports when she’s not out skiing, so check her out as well.

If you’re new to backcountry skiing and want to learn your way around, Shasta Mountain Guides and Sierra Wilderness Seminars offer packages to teach you all about getting out there. Robin Kohn offers guided trips if you’re new to the area and want to learn the terrain.

So what are you waiting for?! Spring skiing is fine!

Sisson Museum History Night April 1st in Mt. Shasta

Sisson Museum History Night on April 1st will combine a new exhibit, photography show, education and mingling. Doors open at 6:00 PM and mark the beginning of both the Water Talks series and the spring opening of the museum. History Night will include the museum’s newest exhibit, Mt. Shasta H20 Stories Water Can Tell. The museum says the exhibit is sure to leave you saying: “Wow, I didn’t know that.” The opening will be an informal event, with beer and wine, more mingling, less sitting, fewer raffles, bigger prizes.

Tickets are $15 and available at Mt. Shasta Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center, and at the door.

If you miss the opening event, the photography show will be up until May 31st. The Museum’s spring hours are daily 1-4pm with summer hours of daily 10am-4pm beginning in June. The Museum’s other exhibits include a Native American basketry exhibit, the Mountaineering Wall, a model railroad depicting the town of Dunsmuir in its heyday as a bustling railroad town, and artifacts from Mount Shasta’s history.

Chicks on Sticks March 13th at Nordic Center

Check out Chicks on Sticks at the Mt. Shasta Nordic Center coming up on March 13th. It’s  a great opportunity to enjoy spring skating, skiing and snowshoeing.

Here’s the beta:

Fun Skate, Stride, or Shoe Event to raise money for the Breast Cancer Fund and the Mt Shasta Nordic Center.

8km rolling course in the stunning scenery of the Nordic Center. Fast or slow, old or young, pro or novice, all are encouraged!

Prizes for best costume and most stylish snow sliders!

$20 Nordic Members
$25 Non Members
$5 Kids

The Nordic Center has 25k of groomed trails for classic Nordic skiing and skate skiing. On weekends you can get lessons if you’re new to the sport.

The Ashland Outdoor Store goes climbing on Casaval Ridge

Some of the folks from The Ashland Outdoor Store recently posted about their climb on Mt. Shasta’s Casaval Ridge.

Here’s their story:

(check out the post on their blog for more pics)

The high-pressure system hanging around accomplishes two things. It decimates our snowpack, therefore making our ski-season less fun. However, it also makes for stable and hard climbing conditions on our local peaks. This weekend was a good one.

Casaval Ridge is a Grade III-IV ridge that runs the length of the SW aspect of Mount Shasta. It lacks hard technical climbing, and most parties don’t opt to protect or rope up. Exposure is high, however – a fall on most of the terrain could be catastrophic. The views are stunning, and the line is very aesthetically pleasing. Without a doubt, the best climb on the southwest side of Mt. Shasta.

Brian Campbell and Adam DiPietro joined me for a single-push climb on Friday night. After a short ski, we had camp set up by midnight, roughly 8,500 feet. After four to five hours of sleep, we packed only essential gear, and started up the base of the ridge.

We knew the wind was going to be our biggest obstacle for the climb, and it definitely made progress slower than expected. After enduring gusty conditions on the easier pitches of the ridge, we reached the high camp at 10,000 feet, and found another party of two climbers. They’d made a bivy and dug out a trench, but were entirely buried in the night. It was around 9 am, and they’d opted to descend. We chatted briefly, and went separate ways.

About 150-200 feet higher, a steeper pitch of ice awaits, until a plateau is reached. The climbing was good, and fairly quick. Once we’d crested the ridge, the wind intensified. After a brief break, we crossed the crest of the ridge, and descended down to the north side of Casaval Ridge proper. More struggle against the wind followed. By noon, we’d reached just under 12,000 feet, at a small notch before the crux of the route. Winds had reached speeds of 60-70 mph, which put wind chill at -25F. After some talk, we decided to descend, saving our summit for another day. Low visibility, and the possibility of wind-loaded and avalanche prone slopes ahead won out over bravado.

Some 2,000 feet lower, we chose an adjacent ridge over our original route of ascent, and continued descending. The wind continued to increase in speed as we reached a lower saddle. By the time we’d reached it, speeds had hit 90+ mph. I was literally being blown off of my feet. After an intense thirty minutes of careful down-climbing, we reached the other side of the ridge, which offered some protection from the wind. It was incredible to witness the power of winter weather.

All in all, the climb was amazing.
Summit or not, our success was in keeping all members of our team safe.

We were stoked.

The route will still be good in weekends to come! If you’re thinking of climbing, contact Shasta Mountain Guides for up to date conditions, and check out the Shasta Avalanche Center’s advisory, updated every Friday morning.

More snow would add a significant avalanche hazard to some aspects of the route, but temps are low enough to keep solid ice and consolidated pack in place without additional snowfall for say, two or three more weeks.

We’ll be back, and we’ll see you on the mountain!

Siskiyou Sled Dog Races canceled due to trail conditions.

This just in…

The Siskiyou Sled Dog Races planned for this weekend at the Deer Mountain/Chuck Best Memorial Snowmobile Park this weekend, January 22 and 23 have been canceled due to unsafe, low snow conditions.

Recent warm weather and rains raised concerns about the conditions of the Siskiyou Sled Dog Race trail systems for the Siskiyou Snow Dog Sporting Association (SSDSA).  A volunteer went out on a snowmobile early Sunday to check conditions.  The volunteer reported to the Board of Directors that trail conditions were badly deteriorated and slushy and that even the start/finish line conditions would not make for a good spectator experience. Upon hearing this, Doug Hake, Director of the SSDSA, drove to the park to confirm the volunteer’s report.  Doug reported to the group that even the contingency trails and the start/finish line area conditions were so compromised by the warm rains that there was no way the trails would be “good-to-go” next weekend.  Unseasonable warm and sunny weather is forecast through the race weekend and gave no hopes for the kind of snow storm needed to pull off the races.  He reported late Sunday to the SSDSA Board, and a vote was made to cancel the races around 8:30 Sunday evening.

Over 20 teams were entered, many returning from year’s previous – some coming from as far away as Idaho, Washington and Alaska.  Many more late entries were expected.  Doug Hake, Director of the SSDSA Board states, “The SSDSA’s goals are to hold world-class, quality family events that promote Siskiyou County.  The decision to cancel this year’s races was made with the safety of the mushers and their dogs in mind.  Also, the spectators and our very dedicated volunteers deserve the best experience possible!”

The SSDSA has notified the competing mushers and the race sponsors and volunteers that offer their valuable support each year. They have all expressed their understanding of the race cancellation and offer their support and involvement for the 2012 races. If you have any questions or concerns, visit siskiyousleddograces.com or write to info@siskiyousleddograces.net.

Holiday art show opens in Mt. Shasta tonight

Tonight The Collective Art Show and Sale, an annual holiday event, opened in Mt. Shasta on Dec 10th. Plenty of folks came out to check out the goods made by local artists: pottery, sculptures, paintings, encaustic work, jewelry, installation ceramic sculpture, tile murals, and more. The show will continue Dec 11th and 12th, so if you’re interested in local art or looking for Christmas gifts, stop by. First you’ll have to locate the Seven Suns coffee shop, then cross Old McCloud Road heading towards the blue warehouse building. The show and sale will be open Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 5pm.

Ski Park to open Dec 7th!!!!!

Christmas is coming early: the Mt. Shasta Ski Park is opening a week earlier than anticipated!! Whoo Hoo! Get your skis or board waxed up and your season pass in hand. Ski season is beginning.

If you’ve never been to the Mt. Shasta Ski Park what you’ll find is a small, locally-owned park that is family friendly while still providing a fun variety of slopes and terrain park features. Located between Mt. Shasta and McCloud, you can find lodging and dining in either town, and additional winter time pursuits. Mt. Shasta offers ice skating, sledding is a hit at Snowman’s Hill and the Pilgrim Creek Snowmobile Park is just outside of McCloud. Plus, there is so much snowshoeing and back country skiing terrain that you’ll have to visit for years to explore it all.

Backcountry skiing – Robin’s Report on Dec 3rd

Backcountry skiing on Mt. Shasta

Local guide, Robin Kohn, is a die-hard skier and always one of the first to hit the backcountry. She was out on Dec 3rd – click here to read her blog post and find more ideas for winter adventure. Robin teaches basic skills classes and offers backcountry tours, so if you’re new to this kind of adventure she can help you learn the ropes. She is also the author of Mt. Shasta Guide to Fun, a wonderful resource for year-round adventure in the Mt. Shasta area.