Hike Mt. Shasta

A small streak of lightning flashes over Mount Shasta.

It has been about a month since the last big thunderstorm broke loose over the Shasta Valley. Friday night saw another one pass spectacularly over the high desert north of Mount Shasta. Lenticular clouds have been my favorite event to capture for quite a while but these valley lightning storms have quickly climbed to my second favorite. I love the warm air, the swirling clouds, the odd light, the boom of the thunder and the flash of the lightning. The smell of the desert with the rain is lush and makes the experience one for all the senses, especially if you stand out in the rain.

In the middle of the valley, the latest storm broke open about 45 minutes before sunset. Hoping for a rainbow or some interesting light on Mount Shasta, the storm delivered neither, but was gorgeous nonetheless. At first Mount Shasta was filtered by the falling rain, visible as it strung down from the sky.

Soon the light broke through the clouds at the lowest angles, lighting up the fields and the low hills of the Shasta Valley. While not quite like the mountain lighting up, this was still a magnificent sight as the rain around me intensified.

To the southwest, Mount Eddy did manage to annex some of the setting sun’s light. The long ridge of the Klamath Mountains’ largest and highest peak was a dramatic skyline above the desert. The colored clouds announced the suns final descent from the sky as it sank below the horizon.

At the same time, a cloudy cauldron yawned over Mount Shasta. The storm slackened but then gathered its strength for another deluge. By the time the rain slowed again, the cauldron had sailed off to the west and dissipated. I wasn’t sure if the storm was letting up or if it was just another pause.

Though the cauldron was gone, the storm continued to spiral over the valley. As the light faded, the rain increased again, this time augmented by even more lightning than before. With the light nearly gone, I decided it was time to head out. I headed toward home, getting on I-5 and traveling south. Suddenly, I was out from under the storm and the rain came to an abrupt end.

Facing south, I could see the flashes of lightning reflected off of the hills of the Shasta Valley. I was compelled to stop at the Weed airport to look back at the storm. Flashes and streaks of lightning burst with quick regularity. It was a stunning end to a fantastic stormy sunset.

I hope we continue to get more of these storms…provided they drop lots of rain. We certainly don’t need their fiery offspring!