Hike Mt. Shasta

I am not sure how things continue to go on like this but the last few months have been extraordinarily busy for my family and I. April came and went and I hardly even noticed its passing. I keep wanting to write but I am either too spent or too busy or both. I am not sure what the remedy for it is. I honestly thought that I had not posted anything in April even though I have had tabs for three posts open, each waiting for me to get them finished. In the 11 years this site has been up, there have only been 6 months when I failed to post anything. I thought April was the 7th month. To my surprise, I discovered a post was put up…but it was one properly from March but I was too late to write it that month (it barely even qualifies as writing, to be honest). So here I am, over a week after an event I thought I would write about the night of. That’s how it goes.

So May rolled around and to our surprise, we got almost 6 inches of snow. My son was about to mow the lawn, which had gotten tall waiting for him, since I had taken the boy scout troop to Yosemite at the end of April. The unexpectedly deep snow with tall green grass sprouting out of it was an unusual sight.

After the storm had passed, Mount Shasta was quite a sight. A lenticular clung to the summit and the wind whipped up snow across the mountain. It was hard to distinguish the snow plumes from the clouds but studying the kinetic ice and vapor was a pleasant activity during a rare slow moment. I love the snow banners kicked out by the wind after a recent snow. At the same time I was watching the fresh snow blow around, I was speaking to my best friend out in Texas, who was enduring 90 degree heat and an equal measure of humidity. I was glad to be in Mount Shasta.

As always, the dance of the wind and snow over the folds of the mountain are transfixing. This is typically something one gets to appreciate in January or March or some other snowy month, not when the weather has been in the 70’s and evincing vernal virtues. Nonetheless, the wintery scene was unfolding in May.

With the snow level down under 4,000 feet, it meant all the high terrain was blanketed in wintery white. Castle Spire, the highest point in the Castle Crags always looks magnificent when clad in ice. Sharp eyes may spot the awesome Crags arch. Surprisingly easy to get to, it is one of my favorite hikes in the Mount Shasta area.

Black Butte had forsaken its dark hues in favor of pure white. It is always a pleasing tower when snow-laden but contrasted against the green grass and spring growth, it seemed particularly striking. Even Spring Hill had some ice on its upper flanks.

As the sun set on the fresh snow, it set up some potential for some interesting conditions on the mountain. The new snow plus temperatures climbing back up meant avalanches were possible. More likely, actually…