Hike Mt. Shasta

While not as iconic as the western and northern sides of Mount Shasta, the southern perspective is one of its most beautiful. Though Shastina is visible, the mountain appears to have a somewhat symmetrical appearance and has a certain degree of balance and proportion that is lacking from other sides, especially from the west. There is also a significant amount of fascinating geology exposed on the south side of Mount Shasta. Three glaciers, the Mud Creek,  Konwakiton and Watkins Glaciers are all found on the upper slopes of the south side. They may not be as massive and magnificent as the ones on the north and east sides but they are still quite impressive, especially by California glacier standards. Numerous towers, most notably Thumb Rock and Shastarama Point add a lot of ruggedness to the volcano’s appearance as well. However, it is perhaps Mud Creek that is the most dominant feature on the south side. It may be hard to pick out at first but once it is located, it cannot be avoided. Nonetheless, it is not just the canyon, but the overall arrangement of all these features that makes the view of Mount Shasta’s southern flanks so appealing.

View north side locator here.

View west side locator here.

Click on both images to enlarge them:

The following image has more detail for the heart of the mountain: