Hike Mt. Shasta

Mount Shasta, blanketed in fresh snow, rises above Bunny Flat

It feels a little foolish to be so excited about a single, moderate storm and a few inches of snow. After the disastrous winter last year and the snowless season this year, it is refreshing to see things through a wintery lens, even if only briefly. The snow that fell Tuesday was destined to be fleeting but it was a blessing nonetheless. As I went about my business in town, I maintained an eye tuned to the winter scene. It was evident that it was going to be fleeting because things were already starting to melt. At least it felt like there was a real winter for one morning. So, it does seem a little odd to be so excited about a storm like the one just past. Even though I try to make this blog about the Mount Shasta area and not about me personally, I only ask your indulgence since I (and the rest of my family and, well, the rest of the community too) really enjoyed the snow!

There wasn’t as much snow in town as there was at my house and things were already starting to melt by Wednesday morning. Despite the more modest snow level, it was nice to see the town in its frosty finery. Sadly, by the end of the day, there was hardly a trace of it left in Mount Shasta City.

Higher up on Mount Shasta, things were in much better shape. Even though it is April, it seemed to be the peak of winter at Bunny Flat, where there were lots of people enjoying snowmobiles, skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, and just enjoying the beautiful scene of the mountain. There was even a group of skiers who were flying a drone. It was wonderful to feel the energy that comes at the convergence of all of these different winter activities. My wife and I took the kids sledding and just generally enjoyed the snow.

The surprising truth is that this winter has not been that bad, in terms of precipitation. The Mount Shasta area is only off the average by a few inches and the water table is noticeably higher this year than it has been the last few years past (a pond develops in a gully in my backyard when there has been a lot of precipitation and the water table rises above the bottom of the gully). Things are dire now because last winter was so bad and this year has not produced much snow. Without much snow pack and it will be difficult during the summer months when the reservoirs are drawn down with little to replenish them. If precipitation has been normal the last three years, the water situation now would not feel so urgent. All that being said, it was nice to get some snow.