Pacific Crest Trail / Mount Shasta Trail Town Kick Off Today!

Posted by bubbasuess on July 21, 2018
Posted in: Mount Shasta, Hiking, Klamath Mountains, Lakes, Rivers, Pacific Crest Trail, Cascade Range. Leave a comment

Today is the kick off festival for the Pacific Crest Trail Association’s Trail Town program and it is taking place here in Mount Shasta. We are fortunate to have been the very first community along the PCT to be selected for recognition as a Trail Town. There will be an event downtown today with lots of displays and exhibits. Even better, there will be lots of people getting together over their love for the PCT and hiking in general. It should be a great event!

I will be there too with a booth. I will be selling copies of my books, PCT shirts and also putting on a knot tying exhibit.

I hope everyone has enjoyed the PCT Spotlight I developed over the course of the last week. Each Spotlight focused on a different section of the PCT near Mount Shasta that featured gorgeous scenery and spectacular destinations. We really are fortunate that this most spectacular trail in the world passes by Mount Shasta and our local mountains enhance the trail’s beauty.

The five trails I focused on are:

The McCloud River from Ash Camp to Ah-Di-Na

Burstarse Falls

Porcupine and Toad Lakes

Deadfall Basin

The Cement Bluff and Bluff Lake

A Pacific Crest Trail Gallery

PCT Spotlight – Cement Bluff

Posted by bubbasuess on July 20, 2018
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Klamath Mountains, Lakes, Mount Shasta, Pacific Crest Trail, Scott Mountains, Water. 1 Comment

The Cement Bluff is a fascinating presence above Bluff Lake.

The final PCT Spotlight focuses on a beautiful section of trail that travels from Parks Creek Pass to the Cement Bluff. This part of the PCT sees significantly fewer day hikers than the other portions featured in this blog series, despite beginning at the popular Parks Creek trailhead. This is probably due to the obscurity of the Cement Bluff and small Bluff Lake, which lies at the foot of the odd formation.

High Camp Basin below the PCT.

The hike to the Cement Bluff is the first section of the PCT to pass through the Scott Mountains, leaving the Trinity Divide behind at Parks Creek Pass. Though it is about 10 miles round trip from the trailhead to the Cement Bluff and back, it is a remarkably easy trip due to the level grade of the trail. The path makes a sweeping arc around High Camp Basin. This large bowl, along with adjacent Deadfall Basin, is the headwaters of the mighty Trinity River, which flows west for 165 miles to its confluence with the Klamath Mountains. Along the arc of the PCT, the trail passes through mostly open terrain, revealing many excellent views of the remote Scott Mountains. The destination for the hike is the fascinating Cement Bluff formation and small Bluff Lake. The Cement Bluff rises 300 feet over the lake. Its exposed cliff is composed of numerous boulders, both massive and small accreted together. It is a beautiful and unusual site.

Bluff Lake and High Camp Basin

This portion of the PCT is great for hikers willing to make the push all the way to the Cement Bluff. The views of High Camp Basin and China Mountain are excellent throughout. There is also a rarely seen but great perspective on Mount Eddy and Deadfall Basin from the top of the Cement Bluff. For hikers willing to do a little off-trail scrambling there is also a really good perspective on Mount Shasta from the ridge above the trail on the east side of High Camp Basin. If there is a real drawback to this hike, it is the lack of a maintained route descending from the PCT down to Bluff Lake. There is an obvious, established path descending down to the lake but it is steep and not a lot of fun climbing back up. Nonetheless, it is worth the effort to get to the small lake. It is beautiful in its own right but the view of the Cement Bluff’s strange cliff is one of the more unique settings in the Mount Shasta area and one not many people get to enjoy.

PCT Spotlight – Deadfall Basin

Posted by bubbasuess on July 19, 2018
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Klamath Mountains, Lakes, Meadows, Mount Eddy, Mount Shasta, Pacific Crest Trail, Trinity Divide. Tagged: . 1 Comment

An unnamed lake below Mount Eddy in Deadfall Basin.

For the fourth installment of the PCT Spotlight, it is imperative to feature the hike to Deadfall Basin. This section of trail ranks in the upper echelon of Mount Shasta Trails, alongside other area classics like Heart Lake, Black Butte, and South Gate Meadow. The reasons for its renown are many and include excellent views, lush meadows, gorgeous mountain lakes and the chance to ascend Mount Eddy, where astounding summit vistas await.

The Scott Mountains from the PCT.

The hike on the PCT to Deadfall Basin is an easy journey. The trail maintains a very gentle, steady grade for a few miles before arriving at the edge of the basin. However, despite the ease in getting there, it is one of the prettiest trails around. This part of the PCT is graced with numerous springs, which result in some extremely lush patches of meadow. Wildflowers are accordingly abundant. The trail also boasts many excellent views, most notably of the Scott Mountains, which lie to the west on the far side of the Trinity River. Once in Deadfall Basin, cliffs rise dramatically overhead and numerous lakes dot the landscape. Most notable are Lower, Middle and Upper Deadfall Lakes. From the upper lake, a trail continues on to the summit of Mount Eddy, which looms prominently over the basin.

Mount Eddy and Upper Deadfall Lake

This is a great section of the PCT. For hikers making the entire journey, this is the final portion of a roadless section that stretches north from Gumboot Saddle to Parks Creek Pass (the trailhead for the hike to Deadfall Basin). Most hikers, however, will hike south from Parks Creek and enter the basin from the north. Whether coming from the north or south, Mount Eddy has featured prominently from the trail for quite some time. Despite this, it is also when in Deadfall Basin that Mount Eddy presents its most inspiring visage. Here the mountain, the tallest in the entire Klamath Mountains, rises dramatically to a single point, showing off its multi-colored geology in spectacular fashion.

Mount Shasta and the Cascades seen from Mount Eddy.

Though not a part of the PCT itself, the hike to the top of Mount Eddy deserves special mention here. After hiking through Deadfall Basin, a trail climbs up to the mountain’s summit. The view from this point is probably the most spectacular in the North State. The area it encompasses is immense, stretching from Lassen Peak in the south to deep into Oregon in the north. All around the peak are the numerous ranges of the Klamath Mountains, all of which are visible from the summit. Most prominent, though is the magnificent bulk of Mount Shasta, which lies only a few miles to the east, dominating everything.

PCT Spotlight – Porcupine And Toad Lakes

Posted by bubbasuess on July 18, 2018
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Klamath Mountains, Lakes, Mount Shasta, Pacific Crest Trail, Trinity Divide. Tagged: , . 1 Comment

Porcupine Lake

It seemed natural for the third installment of the PCT Spotlight to feature a trail that began at the Gumboot Trailhead. There are two great options here. First is the trip south to the Seven Lakes Basin. The other is the hike north, to Porcupine and Toad Lakes. I ended up choosing the latter, for a couple of reasons. One reason is that the trails sees a little less use. The main destinations are further away than the hike to the Seven Lakes Basin, so more people tend to head to the south. The second reason is that this section of the PCT features more views of Mount Shasta than just about any other part of the long trail. That is tough to argue with!

Toad Lake

The hike to Porcupine and Toad Lakes is the longest hike to be featured on the HikeMtShasta PCT Spotlight. It is 11.5 miles to Porcupine Lake and 13 miles to Toad Lake. Of course, if one braves the road up the Middle Fork of the Sacramento River, it is possible to shorten the hike considerably by starting at Toad Lake. In spite of the length, the hike is well worth the effort. It is one of the prettiest trails in the region, with views of Mount Shasta, and the Trinity Dividen as well as vistas of the Trinity Alps to the west. The hike’s destinations are are the two lakes, which are quite different in character. Porcupine Lake occupies a rocky basin right at the base of beautiful Porcupine Lake. Toad Lake lies in a bowl cut into a vein of peridotite rock, which results in sparse vegitation on some parts of the ridge above the water. Both are quite beautiful.

Fawn Creek Canyon from the PCT.

This is a great section of the PCT. After some gradual climbing over the first couple of miles, the trail reaches the crest of the Trinity Divide and levels off. It then begins a very easy traverse along the top of the Divide, weaving back and forth between the east and west sides of the divide. The trail also passes through some very remote sections of the Trinity Divide. Fawn Creek Canyon, part of the South Fork of the Sacramento River is visible from the trail, as is the large basin that forms the headwaters of the Middle Fork. Geologically, the trail passes through some varied terrain, with large outcroppings of gabbro and peridotite, both of which are typical of the Trinity Divide. There are a few springs and lush meadows along this great section of trail as well. More fascinating geology and great views lie beyond Toad Lake too, for those willing to push further.

 

PCT Spotlight – Burstarse Falls

Posted by bubbasuess on July 17, 2018
Posted in: Cascade Range, Castle Crags, Hiking, Klamath Mountains, Mount Shasta, Pacific Crest Trail, Trinity Divide, Waterfalls. 1 Comment

Burstarse Falls is a great destination on the PCT.

I was torn about which hike on the PCT to feature today. Naturally it had to be somewhere in the Castle Crags, but there are a few good choices. Considering that I have 5 days to feature trails before the Trail Town kick off and the first was dedicated to the section along the McCloud, I thought it was important to focus the next selection on the Castle Crags. There are a few good choices for this section but in the end, I selected the trip to Burstarse Falls.

Burstarse Creek cascades

The hike to the falls is a fantastic but relatively easy hike to a great waterfall. It also features some great views of the granite towers of the Castle Crags, which can be frustratingly hard to come by, consider their epic size and how much trail crosses them. The real delight of the hike, however, is Burstarse Creek. Naturally the falls is the culmination of this, but the creek itself is a highlight reel. Upon arriving at the creek, it tumbles down an attractive 10 foot waterfall before flowing across the trail and then pouring into a narrow granite gorge. Following the use trail upstream, hikers are presented with a chance to walk to the bottom of Lower Burstarse Falls, which is a pretty 25 foot plunge. Above this, the creek races through a series of granite chutes. These are very reminiscent of creeks in the Sierra Nevada. Burstarse Falls itself lies a little further up the creek. It shoot off a tall granite cliff before hammering the rocks below, where it explodes into numerous small cataracts. These recombine and continue the creek’s journey down to Castle Creek. It is a wonderful spectacle.

Castle Crags from the PCT.

The hike to Burstarse Falls is along the PCT’s long, gradual climb across the southern flank of the massive Crags. After leaving the McCloud River, the trail surmounts a small divide, and then drops down to Squaw Valley Creek. From there it makes a long ascent of Girard Ridge before descending along Falls Creek down to the Sacramento River. It crosses the river and immediately begins climbing up, out the canyon, gaining elevation along the southern flanks of the Castle Crags. These enormous spires are the most rugged terrain encountered by the PCT since the Bucks Lake Wilderness in the Sierra Nevada.

I was really tempted to focus this installment of the PCT Spotlight on the Soapstone Trail. This hike features a short section on the PCT and boasts one of the most spectacular views in the whole area. I ultimately chose the classic Burstarse Falls hike, but I would strong encourage everyone to explore the Soapstone Trail and check out the spectacular view of Mount Shasta and the Castle Crags!

This is quite a panorama, but these images are taken from the same spot. Click to enlarge:

 

PCT Spotlight – McCloud River

Posted by bubbasuess on July 16, 2018
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Klamath Mountains, Mount Shasta, Pacific Crest Trail, Rivers. 1 Comment

The McCloud River from the PCT bridge. 

With the Pacific Crest Trail Town kick off coming next Saturday, I thought I would highlight one PCT hike in the Mount Shasta area each day of this week. I will feature these in the order a thru-hiker would encounter them as they approached from the south. Hopefully this will encourage everyone to get out and explore the PCT and appreciate what a blessing it is for hikers in this region!

McCloud River Canyon, the heart of the McCloud Range.

So, the first trail I want to focus on is the section of the PCT that stretches from Ash Camp to a road crosses near the Ah-Di-Na campground. This beautiful stretch of the McCloud flows just downstream the dam impounding Lake McCloud but there is no hint that the river had recently been tamed. Here it is a wild, raucous waterway, pouring through large rapids formed by substantial boulders. A sense of isolation permeates that area despite being relatively close to McCloud and accessed easily from there. All in all, it is a beautiful area and one that is often overlooked by hikers.

A large cataract on the McCloud River.

This section of the PCT generally follows the crest of a long ridge that runs from just north of the Pit River in an arc west toward Grizzly Peak and then down to the McCloud River at Ash Camp. It is possible to follow the PCT east from here to Butcherknife Creek but the more interesting hike is to follow the McCloud River west for a few miles. There are numerous place to drop down to the river (steeply sometimes) and some really nice, large cataracts that almost approach the level of being waterfalls rather than big rapids. The PCT eventually crosses a dirt road and begins a long climb up and over a ridge to Squaw Valley Creek. Instead of following the trail, hikers do best to turn left on the road and follow it about 0.5 mile down to the Ah-Di-Na campground. This area has good river access and some fascinating history.

This hike is quite different from the other PCT hikes in the Mount Shasta area. The man feature is the river, rather than the surrounding mountains. The passage through the McCloud’s canyon gives this hike a sense of remoteness that the other hikes don’t necessarily have. I think that that is due, in large measure, to the fact that Mount Shasta is not visible from the trail here. It just feels cut off, but in a good way. No matter what hiker’s feel here, this is a beautiful section of the PCT and one that hikers should consider more often.

Mount Shasta – Pacific Crest Trail Town

Posted by bubbasuess on July 14, 2018
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Mount Shasta, Pacific Crest Trail. Tagged: . 1 Comment

Mount Shasta and spectacular Pacific Crest Trail sunset.

Next Saturday, July 21st, the city of Mount Shasta will be recognized as the very first town to be identified as an official Pacific Crest Trail Trail Town. This is an exciting recognition for our community, particularly considering all the towns the PCT passes near on its 2,659 mile journey from Mexico to Canada.

It makes sense that Mount Shasta is the inaugural town in the new program run by the Pacific Crest Trail Association. No other mountain dominates the PCT like Mount Shasta, visible (to varying degrees) for about 500 miles of the trail, it is a constant presence for thru hikers (people completing the entire, continuous journey from Mexico to Canada) that lingers deep into Oregon. However, there is more than the mountain that makes the town a good place to kick off the Trail Town program. Mount Shasta is centrally located in relation to the rest of the trail. Hikers would pass through the town after completing about 3/5’s of the trail. This means that it is roughly equidistant for PCT enthusiasts in northern Washington and Southern California, and all points in between. Also, the way the mountain looms above town gives Mount Shasta a sense of being “on the trail” in a way many other communities near the trail don’t necessarily posses.

Getting ready for the Trail Town festival.

The festival will begin at 8:00 AM with a guided hike on the PCT. I believe that the hike will begin at the Gumboot trailhead. At noon, the activity will shift to the downtown area, where there will be numerous demonstrations covering a variety of hiking and PCT related topics. Many of these will be put on by local community groups including the 5th Season and Shasta Mountain Guides. Other groups, including the PCTA will be there doing demonstrations as well. Shockingly, I have been invited to have my own booth as well. I will be there talking about local trails, other hiking destinations in the area as well as teaching knot tying. There will also be food and music.

It is going to be a great community event and I hope that everyone will come and check it out! I am particularly excited at the prospect of Mount Shasta, as a community, embracing the fact that we are an excellent destination for hikers, as well as other forms of outdoor recreation. I think that this really is the way forward for not just this town, but for all of southern Siskiyou County. If the recognition of this fact from the PCTA manages to really kick this off as an identity for this town, then all the better.

We are fortunate to have such a great section of the Pacific Crest Trail so close to Mount Shasta. It connects many of the best destinations in the Trinity Divide, creates several opportunities for great backpacking trips and longer hikes, and establishes a trail link to the Trinity Alps and the southernmost part of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada beyond. Whether out for a day hike, a longer overnight trip, or hiking from Mexico to Canada, it is a fantastic asset for the area. I hope everyone enjoys hiking it as much as I do.

Here is a gallery of images taken from the PCT that stretches from McCloud to Trinity Summit, all of which roughly falls within the Mount Shasta orbit!

Click to enlarge: