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There’s Less Snow In Arizona

Posted by bubbasuess on March 26, 2023
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Mount Shasta. Tagged: , , . 4 Comments

Pusch Ridge, rising 3,500 feet above Sutherland Wash, lights up just before sunset.

My wife and I had no idea how the winter would go when we first planned on taking spring trip to Arizona in March. As far as we were concerned, our kids had spring break, late winter/early spring is a great time to be in the desert, and we figured it would be a welcome change of pace if we happened to have a really stormy season. We planned the trip in October and November. When snow started falling early in November, we had no idea that the Long Winter lay before us and how welcome a trip to the desert would be. Needless to say, an escape to the desert was quite rejuvenating after nearly 5 months of snow.

The lead up to the trip was challenging, but once we hit the road, it was smooth sailing. Smooth, except for being evacuated from our campground in Sedona. We had one of the few campsites near town, which was located on the banks of Oak Creek, the main watershed draining the red sandstone wonderland. Its headwaters are located north of Sedona on the Coconino Plateau, where the higher elevation receives a lot more snow. On our trip there was a fair amount of snow in the high country and the warmer weather was melting the it at a swift rate. Consequently, Oak Creek was swollen and raging. Once we got there, we enjoyed our time in Sedona, hiking the red sandstone and soaking in the magnificent scenery, all the while Oak Creek was rising. On our last night in Sedona, we headed back to our camp, only to find it eerily dark. On closer inspection, only three tents were standing in the campground and in front of our tent we found this:

It quickly became evident that the rising creek had forced the campground to be evacuated. We quickly broke camp and headed out, saying a speedy goodbye to Sedona a little earlier than planned. So the trip was smooth sailing other than being evacuated out of our campground before it flooded.

So, it was smooth, except for the evacuation from camp and the time we went into one of our other campsites, driving through another rising creek with the warning that it may crest too high to drive through and we may be stuck in the campground for, as we were told “a few hours or a few days”. Fortunately for us, it crested and subsided and we were never stuck but it was an interesting conundrum.

Other than those seasonal incidents, the rest of the trip was fantastic. The weather was, for the most part, warm and beautiful. The desert was green, wildflowers were often abundant and the scenery, whether the sandstone of Sedona or the saguaro of the Sonoran Desert, was uniformly spectacular. We were all rejuvenated by being free of snow and out of our normal landscapes. We already can’t wait to go back.

A few images from the trip:

It is incredible how diverse the Sonoran Desert is. Even in the dry seasons, it is still so green compared to the other desert environments found in America. In spring, it is downright lush. Perhaps my favorite spot from the trip was this one above Sutherland Wash:

Standing there surrounded by saguaro cactuses, the icon of the American West, as well as multiple types of cholla, prickly pear, barrel cactus, ocotillo and palo verde, with grand, rocky mountains looming in the distance and yet, being able to hear the sound of steadily running water was a feast.

The scenery wasn’t all that was great. The family had a grand time as well, exploring, climbing, and enjoying the beauty of the desert:

Now back home in Mount Shasta, the Long Winter continues, with up to 20 inches of snow forecasted to come down Monday and Tuesday. Hopefully, perhaps even sometime in the near future, the thaw will come. Until then, we are grateful for a week in the desert.

A Bluebird Reprieve

Posted by bubbasuess on March 9, 2023
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Mount Shasta. 4 Comments

Fresh snow blows off of Mount Shasta on a glorious bluebird morning.

Tonight marks 2 weeks of steady snow in the Mount Shasta area. As I write this, it is snowing yet again, with nearly a foot having come down already today. Prior to the storm today, I have gotten 74 inches of snow since the night of February 23rd (I live at a higher elevation than Mount Shasta City and get more snow because of it). It has been a lot of work, to say the least. Not only has there been a lot of snow, but the cloud cover has been nearly constant, blotting out the sun the sun and mountain. At times, it has felt oppressive, even though the precipitation remains a welcome blessing. Thankfully, a lull in the storm Wednesday morning yielded the first clear blue sky in almost two weeks. With fresh snow abundant, it was the very blessing of a “bluebird day”.  It was a welcome respite from the gloom of the storm.

On my way home from taking my daughter to school, I could not resist stopping and pulling out my camera and catching the beauty that makes the drive to and from school such a treat. The landscape is always glorious on days like this, when the snow is deep and the sunlight warming. The ice glitters, giving the land a dazzling magnificence. By noon the clouds were gathering and early afternoon saw the snow falling again. This last round of the storm is the cresendo, as tomorrow is supposed to be clear. I may have a second round of bluebird images. After this, a week of rain is forecast. This is hopeful, as it will quickly melt the snow (though I hate the rainy slop that comes) and means the temperatures are starting to warm, a harbinger that spring is nearly here. Hasten the day!

It Snowed A Little Bit

Posted by bubbasuess on February 25, 2023
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Mount Shasta, Truchas Ridge. Leave a comment

While careening toward the end of February it was easy to start jumping ahead to spring. The snow, which had piled up during January had been only minimally replenished and was melting off at a good clip. On the other side of March the spring could begin in earnest and since the snow had started falling on November 1st, it has really felt like a long winter. It should not come as a surprise then that winter wanted to let us know that it still holds sway for another month. To do this, it summoned a storm of swift and deep proportions.

Most forecasts before the storm called for a foot or so of snow. That is certainly nothing to scoff at and necessitated all the normal pre-storm preparations. Some forecasts doubled the amount of snow but those were definitely in the minority. In the end, both were wrong and were underestimating the storm’s yield.

I woke up in the morning and, looking out my front door, saw a wall of snow much higher than I had anticipated. The yard stick showed 31 inches. Yikes. That was a heap of snow and it was still coming down. Indeed, it continued to snow for a few more hours and ultimately add another three inches to what had already come down during the night. The road in front of our house was no where near plowed and I5 was no doubt a mess but my wife felt like she needed to get to the clinic even though we could have just closed for the day. That meant I had to get and start clearing snow. I admire her dedication. I got her out, sent her off and spent much of the day moving snow around while managing kids diffing snow caves and such.

Fresh snow and Mount Shasta on a winter’s morning.

The day after the storm ended I was out early and enjoyed the fresh snow smothering everything. It was a glorious bluebird day, with fresh snow, blue sky and a warm sun. On my way home pulled out my camera to document the white conditions. I was surprised to see that the strange accumulation of snow on Mount Shasta’s west face had persisted despite the copious snow that had just fallen. Still, in most areas on the mountain it was clear that a lot of snow had fallen.

I knew that a lot of snow (for that arid area) had fallen out in the Shasta Valley and I wanted to get out there to catch it while it was white. My family and I headed out in the afternoon and found the southernmost end of the valley quite white but by the time we got to Truchas Ridge the snow was found only on the northern exposures and in the shadows. While not quite what I was hoping for, it was still really beautiful. We climbed to the summit of Cerro Pedernal and from there we could see that the western fringe of the valley was still pretty snowy.

The view from the summit of Cerro Pedernal is one of the best. Mount Shasta is the obvious center of attention but the cluster of peaks and valleys adds a great deal of interest to the views. This time, with the snow still lingering in the shadowy areas it was a slightly different texture than the typical vista.

While on the summit, I decided to climb around to the Pedernal Ventana, a small arch on the peak’s southwest side. The low sun makes the arch stand out and this time the sun was near sunset. The view of Mount Shasta and the southern Shasta Valley from the arch is great. Since the arch is on Pedernal’s southern aspect the snow had melted off quite a while before I got there but it was worth checking out nonetheless.

My family and I enjoyed the view and as the alpenglow began to fade over the white valley, we began our return. We descended to the sound of howling coyotes (not my daughter howling) and within sight of great horned owls flying nearby. It was a great end to a great day yet as we arrived home the clouds had already come back in and it is supposed to continue snowing tonight and for the next few days. I wonder how much will fall this time…

60 Hours Before The Storm

Posted by bubbasuess on February 21, 2023
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Lenticular Clouds, Mount Shasta, Truchas Ridge. Leave a comment

I noted earlier that this past fall and winter had not been a very good season for lenticulars. That assessment has certainly changed over the last couple weeks. I previously wrote about a series of lenticular episodes that all occurred within a week’s time. Now, with a large snow storm looming, there has been another series of clouds, which have, at times, been quite impressive. However, if a complaint were to be lodged against this particular series of formations, it is that getting the clouds to take shape when the light is best has been elusive. Nonetheless, this has produced some truly spectacular sunsets, for which I have been grateful to witness!

The first cloud manifested on Sunday. Not only was there a nice cap on Mount Shasta but there was a nicely formed stack hovering to the southwest. Frustratingly, by the time I headed out to capture some images, the stack had diminished to a single disk. Still, the cap remained nicely formed and still felt worth the effort to get out and prepare for sunset. I decided to head up to Echo Point, which has a particularly spectacular vista and settled in to watch the light shift and see what the cloud had in store.

Unfortunately, the cloud had nothing in store at all. It continued to dissipate to near insignificance. There was just a vestigial crown clinging to the summit and little else to indicate there had been an excellent lenticular. Even the lone disk, which hovered to the southwest had gone. However, what was lacking in lenticulars was more than made up for in the warm glow of a truly marvelous sunset. The alpenglow was magnificent and the entire landscape seemed to radiate a warm sensation. Echo Point did not disappoint!

The next morning I headed north again, feeling the clouds weren’t done. I was correct, as the southwestern stack was back in force, with a firmly coalesced shape and a commanding presence near Mount Shasta. Where the previous night had been a stunning light show, this time the light was barely evident and the land was drab since clouds to the east blocked most of the sunlight. It was still a good morning, graced with a notable cloud.

Around midday, the stack was still persisting and even the cap on Mount Shasta was threatening to reform. Unfortunately it never really gathered enough strength to advance past the wispy tendrils of a delicate formation. Still, I anticipated the sunset would be grand and determined to head back out to Truchas Ridge.

Climbing up to Panorama Point, the light was great and the view was terrific as always. However, the lenticular stack had flattened out and lost much of its definition. Still, it caught the afternoon light well and glowed as the sun sank. I was hopeful things might change before all the light was gone.

My hope was not in vain. At the last minute, before all the light had faded, the cloud began to form a new stack of disks over the old one. These had nice layers that still caught the last bit of light that was being offered before dark set in. Not only this, but a concave cavity had opened up on the bottom of the cloud, returning something of the lenticular’s previous shape to the formation. Though the light had faded on the hills of the Shasta Valley, it was still a nice finish.

Yet, all was not done. With the storm set to arrive on Tuesday around noon, there was one last bit of a lenticular over the mountain, heralding the arrival of the storm. By noon, Mount Shasta was lost to the storm clouds and rain and snow had begun to fall. We are in for another round of cold and snow, which is welcome, after the nice break we have had after January’s deluge. Still, the winter had been long, considering snow fell November 1st and has been consistent since. Spring fever is setting in…

Seldom Seen – Antelope Creek Headwaters

Posted by bubbasuess on February 18, 2023
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Mount Shasta, Seldom Seen. 1 Comment

A rocky point hides in shadow above Lower Antelope Creek Lake. 

While the west side of Mount Shasta is well documented in terms of the many spectacular destinations that are found there, the east side of the mountain is far less well known. In fact, it is safe to say that it is almost totally unknown, except by a handful of people that have some kind of connection to the land and communities that are tucked away in this vast region. Nonetheless, some of the Mount Shasta area’s most spectacular landscapes and interesting geologic landmarks are to be found hidden away in this dark part of the map.

Part of the reason why the area is not well known is that it remains a vast patchwork of private timberlands interspersed with properties owned by the USFS. This makes access to some areas challenging and thus, far less visited than other destinations around Mount Mount Shasta. There are, nonetheless, some fascinating and spectacular sights to behold in the mountain’s eastern demesnes.

The glacial valley of Antelope Creek.

One of the most beautiful and intriguing areas is the headwaters of Antelope Creek. This is one of two creeks that flow out of the Cascade crest east of Mount Shasta that drain into endorheic basins. Butte Creek is further west and flows north before turning east, passing beautiful Orr Lake and draining into the eponymously named Butte Valley. Here it dissipates in the wetlands of Meiss Lake. Antelope Creek begins further east, but in the most rugged section of the Cascade crest. Here several small lakes and meadows contribute water the burgeoning creek as it flows through a wide glacial canyon. Once exiting the canyon the creek flows north past Tennant and hits a sink at the base of Cedar Mountain.

A hoodoo emerges from the lake.

The lakes that constitute the headwaters of Antelope Creek are some of the prettiest in the area. This is in part due to their unusual geology. Most of the lakes in the Mount Shasta region are found in the Trinity Divide and are set granite and ultramafic rock basins. The mountains east of Mount Shasta are volcanic and have far fewer lakes. Most of these are small, shallow and ringed with trees. The lakes at the headwaters of Antelope Creek are exceptions to this rule, being bound by tall volcanic cliffs, talus slopes and one even boasts an unusual, mushroom-like volcanic hoodoo emerging from the waters. It is a unexpected and unusual features to behold. The other lakes, though not quite as distinct are still beautiful and rarely visited specimens.

If there is a problem with this lovely setting, it is that significant portions of it burned a few years ago. Where once pristine forests marched up the slopes of the U-shaped valley, now many swaths of trees are burned. Beautiful groves of aspen lined the creek at the bottom of the valley and many of these are reduced to charred stumps. Thankfully some remain since the fire moves in irregular paths at times. The lakes and meadows were spared the fire’s wrath as well, leaving some of the area’s highlights untouched.

Though as the crow flies, it is not far from Mount Shasta, in terms of access, the Antelope Creek Headwaters are distant and remote and access is difficult in some areas. Nonetheless, it remains an incredible destination where great rewards await for those few who seek to explore it.

Click to enlarge:

Three Lenticulars In A Week

Posted by bubbasuess on February 11, 2023
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Lenticular Clouds, Mount Shasta. 1 Comment

An epic cloud stakes its claim to some dramatic sky above Mount Shasta.

Last week there was a series of great lenticular clouds over Mount Shasta. We haven’t had collection this good in this concentrated a time in quite a while. Although there have been some great formations over the mountain the last few years, overall it the last couple of lenticular seasons have been somewhat lackluster. This past week certainly helped to right that ship.

The first cloud began early in the morning and continued to morph throughout the day. It changed shape rapidly and, at times, was joined by other scattered around Mount Shasta. Towards the end of the day the clouds coalesced into one large stack the was located somewhat northeast of the mountain.

Unfortunately I missed its peak formation and the sunset color since I was in a meeting that went on far too long. It pained me, as I knew what was going on out there and I was missing it. At least I was able to get a shot as the last bit of color faded off of the lenticular at sunset. Oh well…

The next one came a few days later and was another excellent specimen. This one consisted of two distinct stacks that seemed linked together in an oblique alignment. This is one of my favorite kinds of clouds. The unique shape can be so appealing, especially when it is aligned above Mount Shasta. This was one of the most interesting clouds I have seen over the mountain in quite a while.

By the time the sun had set it had dissipated quite a bit, losing its distinct appearance. Nonetheless, the clouds were moving in unusual ways and soaked up the alpenglow in glorious fashion. In the end, this lenticular was a disappointment in terms of how it maintained its integrity but it was a spectacular sunset nonetheless.

A couple days later Mount Shasta was graced with another attractive formation over the summit. It caught the sunrise light nicely. A fine set of tendrils streamed off to south, reeling outward before dissipating and then the whole process repeating itself. The other clouds around the mountain added a great deal of color and texture to the entire scene.

Thought the cloud lingered through out the day, it never looked as good as it had at sunrise. It still made for interesting scenes above Mount Shasta. Even in the evening as the sun was setting, the lenticular dome persisted, though it had flattened out and settled on the mountain a bit. It was the quiet end of a great week of lenticulars.

I find it unlikely that there will be another run of clouds like this for a while. Hopefully, though, we will still get one or two more great cloud formations before we get to summer!

Some Interesting Things Happening On Mount Shasta

Posted by bubbasuess on February 4, 2023
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Mount Shasta. 5 Comments

Black Butte seems peripheral while Mount Shasta and a sunset sky cast a great reflection.

January 2023 was an interesting month in Northern California. With a series of powerful storms hitting the state in rapid succession, the drought stricken region received far more than its average amount of precipitation. Many parts of the state, especially in the Sierra Nevada, there is substantial snowpack, far exceeding the average depth for this time of the year. In some areas, the snowpack’s depth is exceeding the April 1st average. This date is important because it typically marks the end of the significant precipitation season when the snowpack is at its greatest depth before the spring thaw comes. Here in Mount Shasta, conditions would fall in the former category, with above average depths but not quite as high as those parts of the Sierra that really got hammered. The snowpack and other circumstances are such, however, that some interesting things have occurred on the mountain that are worth pointing out.

Needless to say, when the storm finally cleared out, Mount Shasta was quite white, with a deep accumulation of snow. Only a few rocky crags looked to be free of ice. This is one of my favorite of the mountain’s many appearances, when even Thumb Rock and Shastarama are blanketed in ice. This state can linger for a while when temperatures are cold. With the passing of this storm, this was the case with Mount Shasta. Everything was overwhelmingly snowy and it would take a few days for the temperatures to go up and the interesting phenomena on the mountain to manifest.

The avalanche area is just below the horizon, immediately left of center.

First among these is the large avalanche that happened at the head of Cascade Gulch, which lies in the saddle between Mount Shasta and Shastina. This was a pretty significant avalanche and was clearly visible to the naked eye from in town. Though there are frequent avalanches on the mountain, this one seemed larger and more evident than most.

The avalanche started at the very head of Cascade Gulch, just below 12,000 feet. It looks like the maximum descent about 400 feet below the head, with a great deal of snow collected at a tight point along the gulch at the terminus. A wall of snow where the slab gave way is evident. Though it began fading as the sunlight and warmer (but certainly not warm!) conditions effected the snow, it was still visible prior to the next wave to storms arrived.

Sunset light on the Cascade Gulch avalanche.

Another interesting phenomenon could be seen nearby on Mount Shasta. Although substantial amounts of snow fell on some areas on the mountain’s west face seemed strangely bare while other parts had unusual accumulations.

A strange mound of snow streaked across the west face of Mount Shasta. 

I first noticed these odd patterns while the snow was still fresh and many of the mountain’s crags were still blindingly white with snow and rime ice. Though there was a patch below the summit that seemed strangely bare, the most intriguing sight was a long mound of snow that extended from one of the windows on Casaval Ridge northward, across Mount Shasta’s west face. It was an odd formation and one I had never noticed on the mountain before.

Another perspective on the strange streak accumulation on Mount Shasta.

It seemed that the wind must have whipped the snow into this odd band across the west face. The mound looked deepest immediately adjacent to Casaval Ridge, where it piled up between the ridge and one of is large spurs that descends down into Hidden Valley. Beyond the spur, the snow mound continued to the north, finally dissipating as it neared the area above the saddle between it and Shastina (where the avalanche occurred.

Parallel bands of bare rock developed on either side of the snow mound.

A few days after the storm cleared, the temperatures warmed up a little but the wind continued to rip through the area. This combination revealed another interesting phenomenon on Mount Shasta. The mound of snow, which was an unusual accumulation, became highlighted by the absence of snow on the mountain both above and below the band. Despite the deep snowpack, there was suddenly very noticeable areas on Mount Shasta that had no snow on it at all.

The absence of snow on the west face contrasts against the deep pack in Avalanche Gulch.

If I were to venture a guess, both the mound of snow and the bands of bare rock are the result of some strong winds scouring Mount Shasta. First they caused the mound to appear, piling the snow up deep, then it sheared the thinner areas on either side of it. The result was a strange pattern on Mount Shasta, especially considering how much snow it has on it.

The amount of snow was particularly evident once Everitt Memorial Highway was finally plowed and one could drive up to Bunny Flat. Needless to say, the drive is impressive. I haven’t seen that much snow on the mountain in 5 years, since the big storm in January 2017. The amount of snow evident along the road really put the bare patches on the mountain’s west face into perspective. They are bare not because only a little snow fell but because the wind has been unusual powerful. It certainly has give the mountain a unique post-storm appearance.

One last thing of a more personal note. There has been a trio of red firs on Mount Shasta that I have always enjoyed framing with the mountain. They provided a nice foreground and contrast to the massive peak. This past year I noticed one of the trees looking a little worse for the wear. I would guess it is one of the trees that has been stricken by the drought. When I headed up to Bunny Flat the morning it was first opened, I noticed the tree had fallen down. I am not necessarily saddened by this, but I felt like its passing should be noted. Hopefully the two remaining trees will carry on the legacy for many years to come!

As always, there is much afoot around the mountain but the mountain remains. We’ll see what happens next!

Late January Lenticular Sunset

Posted by bubbasuess on January 28, 2023
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Lenticular Clouds, Mount Shasta, Truchas Ridge. 8 Comments

Sunset light illuminates a lenticular cap on Mount Shasta.

Last weekend the changing weather conditions around Mount Shasta produced one of the better and longer-lasting lenticular formations that has manifested this season. The sustained winter weather has meant that the frequency and scale of lenticulars around the mountain has not been great this year. The few times there have been decent formations, they have been a bit more fleeting than in the past, often dissipating before the sunset light could really highlight them.

The cloud was not present at dawn but by midmorning it was forming over the mountain. Unfortunately, between a belt of clouds just around treeline and the cloud’s propensity to belch out to the west a large plume of cloud the lenticular had a low visibility from the west. I headed north to the Edgewood pools and got a nice view of the cloud, though the wind meant that a clear reflection was not to be had. It was, nonetheless, a good perspective on the formation.

The cloud was particularly stormy on the west side, where the large plumes continued to erupt to the east. It seemed that the turbulence that helped form the spectacular cloud was also kicking up a lot of snow. Hidden Valley and West Face Gully looked like pretty inhospitable places at this time.

It was hard to pull myself away from the ever-changing spectacle but I resolved that if the cloud persisted to the evening, I would head out to Truchas Ridge for the sunset.

Conditions at the ridge were awesome, though the ground was a bit muddy in places. The north-facing aspect of all the hills were still covered in snow and the nearby lake was quite full. It all provided a gorgeous sight, especially when playing foreground to the awesome peaks that lie to the east, west and south.

In the end, the lenticular collapsed a bit, making it less interesting than it had been and partially obscuring Mount Shasta in the process. In spite of this, the entire scene, come late afternoon and sunset, was fantastic and made for one of the prettier sunsets I had seen in a while.

Epic Rainfall Around Mount Shasta

Posted by bubbasuess on January 6, 2023
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Lenticular Clouds, Mount Shasta. Leave a comment

Turbulent skies over Mount Shasta.

The extraordinary storm conditions that have persisted for the last two months not only show no sign of abating in January, but are becoming even more powerful. This means that increasingly significant rainfall continues to pour down on the western United States. The Mount Shasta area is at the center of the incredible storm system and the effects are easy to discern when looking at the creeks, rivers and surrounding landscape. It is a blessing, after being in the throes of drought for the last few years.

A glorious inter-storm sunrise in the frozen Shasta Valley.

After Christmas, the Mount Shasta area had a significant rain storm that dropped a copious amounts of rain. It brought the return of the Shasta Valley reflecting pools and swelled the creeks and rivers that flow around the foot of Mount Shasta. Though it was cold, the freezing conditions weren’t to last long beyond New Years and a new storm system with even more rain was inbound.

Wednesday night the storm crashed through the area with powerful winds and a truly epic amount of rain. The wind was so fierce, I observed it driving the rain upward! The water fell from the sky all night and by morning, everything was incredibly waterlogged, far exceeding the mount of water that fell during the post-Christmas storm.

While the storm continued in Mount Shasta, a short jaunt north into the Shasta Valley revealed blue skies and a sky filled with magnificent lenticular clouds. The puddles and pools, already large from the first storm, were now swollen and multiplied beyond anything I have ever seen. This was by far the most water I have seen in the Shasta Valley.

The creeks and rivers were also in remarkable condition. I headed over to Parks Creek to check its status. While it was already engorged by runoff from the first storm when I had checked it a few days earlier, now it was a torrent. Rather than the normal, mild-mannered creek that flows through the rocky channel, it was now a raging river, with far more water than even the Shasta River might normally have.

Of course, the Shasta River was even larger, a truly impressive beast of a waterway at this time. While it is often hard to recognize it as a “river”, at least in its upper areas before it is charged with the numerous large springs that emerge in the downstream in the Shasta Valley, at this time there was no mistaking this as a large and powerful river.

Though the Shasta River flows mostly through private land, there are a few good places to observe it. Most of these are around the community of Edgewood. It is certainly worth heading out and seeing this unappreciated river, especially when it has such a strong flow.

At nightfall, I found myself in the valley again. Though the mountain was not totally visible, it was oddly quiet. Dark clouds brewed, promising yet more rain. This is what the thirsty land needs and it is a blessing that such is being provided. To provide some idea of how much impact these storms are having, Shasta Lake has risen 15 feet (at the time of this writing) since Christmas Day. It is rising roughly 3 feet per day over the last few days. I believe this trend will continue for a while yet.

While heading up to the animal hospital on Friday, I had to stop and take a few more pictures, as a new batch of lenticulars continued to dominate the sky over Mount Shasta. The mountain itself was visible, though partially covered by the storm that was bringing rain to the areas on the south side. The Shasta Valley always amazes me in the way it manages to stay dry while the entire region surrounding it is pelted with rain and snow.

This is the next 5 storms due to slam into the west coast over the next several days.

Here they are identified by Rogue Weather , a great resource for local weather conditions. That is quite an array of storm systems. It seems that we are not even close to the end of this wild weather.

 

 

Mount Shasta 2022 – A Year In Images

Posted by bubbasuess on January 1, 2023
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Mount Shasta. 2 Comments

The year of our Lord 2022 has come and gone. The year was another good one at the foot of Mount Shasta, though not without its trials and challenges. Drought, fire, mud flows and a host of other things all seasoned life by the mountain. Between working out on Truchas Ridge and the opening of our animal hospital in Yreka, I did not get out nearly as much as I normally do, but life has its seasons and hopefully next year will have more time spent high in the mountain, both around Mount Shasta and further afield. Thus, through hardships and blessings, the year ends with hope for the year to come. On to the retrospective!

January:

The first month of 2022 started with a lot of snow, a storm that carried over from December. After nearly a week of precipitation, the storms came to an end, the sun came out and all of a sudden, it felt like spring! Still, Mount Shasta was its usual, spectacular self, producing lenticular clouds and other awesome spectacles to marvel at. Surely, after a few weeks of dry, warm weather, the rain and snow would return…

February:

The shortest month did not provide the answer to the question as to whether the weather would return. The month was warm and dry and only a light dusting of snow at the end of the month saved it from being a total loss in terms of winter weather. The snow that fell in December began to melt off in earnest. The Shasta Valley continued to be the place to go to get outside and explore. The high desert terrain holds rocky mysteries and spectacular vistas bit and small. All in all, it felt like time to start getting back outside. The Hike Mt Shasta kids certainly thought so and decided a campfire dinner was in order!

March:

March continued the dry conditions until the latter half of the month. A large storm move through the area and finally left some snow. While the storm raged around around Mount Shasta, the Valley offered great views of the mountain, unencumbered by much of the storm. Lenticulars heralded the coming weather. We made multiple trips out to the ridge, and took in some awesome sunsets. It was a good month, but the lack of precipitation

April:

April brought more snow than had fallen since the first days of January. The snow even came down at lower elevations, blanketing the Trinity Divide, the Castle Crags and even in town. It may have been spring but it felt more like winter than nearly any point in months. However, by the end of the month, higher elevation places like Orr Lake were palatable and it was time to head out and start camping again.

May:

Once again, the month was a wet one, with more precipitation falling in a spring month than had fallen in the winter. Nonetheless, it felt like spring. The air was warm, the grass green and the sunshine in between storms felt bright and optimistic. It was a great month around the mountain.

June:

The rainy conditions continued into June. If I recall, 4 out of 5 weekends all had rain. In spite of this, the high country had little snowpack from the winter and so it was wide open to get out and hit the trails. This is a great time of year to hike or backpacking along the Pacific Crest Trail. The section from Gumboot to Parks Creek is particularly awesome, with lakes, rugged terrain and fantastic views of Mount Shasta.

July:

Surprisingly, the wet conditions continued into July, with a sizable storm hitting over Independence Day weekend. Lenticulars and lightning were aboundant and made the first days of the month pretty exciting. However, by the time the storm passed and the new snow on the mountain had faded away, Mount Shasta was left bare, a reminder of how little snow fell during the winter.

August:

Another powerful storm left a small bit of snow around the top of Mount Shasta, continuing the streak of new snow falling on the mountain. Other than that, the month was hot and dry. That didn’t stop the sunsets from being colorful, beautiful and worth getting out and enjoying.

September:

September was a monster. It wasn’t too deep into the month when the Mill and Mountain Fires erupted, leaving destruction in their wakes. The efforts to contain the fires was swift and furious and effective but not before life and property were lost. The Mountain Fire also flared back to life after a week of dormancy, adding to the conflagration’s drama. Thankfully, a merciful rain and snow fell not too long afterward, squelching the flames. The storm was large and Mount Shasta looked like its normal, midwinter self, even though the calendar still said it was summer. Most of the snow was gone in a week but the upper flanks of Mount Shasta had vestigial patches that lingered until more snow arrived.

October:

Though normally autumnal paradise, October was warm. Not hot, but warmer than normal and it made a good month to continue heading up into the high country and exploring lost lakes and rarely seen peaks. Meanwhile, the glaciers on Mount Shasta continued to spew debris and alter the landscape. Mud Creek in particular had been active all summer and this continued into the year’s tenth month.

November:

Snow fell almost immediately as November began. After the first tranche, it was gloriously fall for about two weeks in Mount Shasta. The trees finally began turning color, the days were warm and bright but the sun’s lower angle made for magnificent light. However, the snow soon returned and gave the land a much need drink. Winter came early in 2022 and hasn’t let up yet.

December:

The winter conditions continued all through December. Snow, rime ice, rain have all been abundant this month. It was a good end to an odd year.

May the Lord bless as we charge into 2023!