Mount Shasta Social Distancing Hikes Part I: Waterfalls

Posted by bubbasuess on April 4, 2020
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Mount Shasta, Waterfalls. Leave a comment

Faery Falls, in lush Ney Springs Canyon.

We find ourselves in a strange limbo, quarantined and socially distant, for the sake of the community keeping our distance from our families, friends and neighbors. These certainly are strange days. However, in a stroke of good fortune, we are still able to spend some time outdoors and on the trail, so long as we maintain the necessary separation from others. It may be that time outside and on the trail may be more essential to our well being than ever, given how much time we are forced to spend at home. This being the case, the foot of Mount Shasta is a good place to be stuck, with great beauty and a plethora of trails. Yet even in that, we are in a state of limbo. The winter is passed, warmer days draw nigh but the mountain trails remain buried in snow. For the time being, the lower elevation trails will have to do.

Typically, at this point I do a spring hiking round up, collecting all the trails into one post and highlighting what is open at the time. Given the unusual circumstances we are currently in, it seems more appropriate (and interesting) to divide things up and devote a little more attention to opportunities to get out. With the wetter we have had recently, waterfall hikes seem to be a good place to start. It is interesting to note that most of the lower-elevation waterfalls, which are the most readily accessible this time of year, are generally located to the south of Mount Shasta.

 

Click to enlarge map. Waterfalls accessible by trail marked with red stars.

McCloud River Falls

Any discussion of Mount Shasta area waterfalls naturally begins with the trio on the McCloud River. This is the premier waterfall destination for the region. The proximity of the three falls, the volume of water going over the precipice and the distinctive appearance of each of the cataracts makes the entire experience difficult to beat. Add to the natural beauty the ease of accessing them, whether by car or along the McCloud River Trail and this is an unbeatable waterfall hike. If there is a drawback, it is the falls’ popularity. Fortunately for hikers, most people visit these waterfalls by car, leaving the trails relatively uncrowded.

Read the trail description here.

Squaw Valley Creek Falls

Squaw Valley Creek Falls

The hike along Squaw Valley Creek is not one that is known for waterfalls. Rather it is the wild creek itself, beautiful, remote forest and the rocky gorges along the first 0.3 miles of the trail that attract hikers. However, hidden along the trail, about 1.5 miles from the trailhead, the creek takes a 10 foot plunge of a bedrock escarpment. It isn’t a huge waterfall but coupled with the lovely hike through the canyon, it makes a great destination. For hikers who are interested in longer hikes, the falls make a good highlight near the end of an 8 mile loop that includes a section of the Pacific Crest Trail and a two mile decent down Bear Trap Creek on a dirt road. The road is gated and sees little travel and passes through one of the densest forest canopies I have seen in the Mount Shasta area.

Read the trail description here.

Hedge Creek Falls

Hedge Creek Falls

Perhaps the easiest Mount Shasta area waterfall to reach, Hedge Creek Falls is nonetheless an area classic. Unfortunately, ease of access means it is not the greatest destination for an isolated hike. Nonetheless, morning and evening see few people at the falls and it is well worth visiting. In some ways it reminds me of waterfalls in the Ozarks and other limestone-based destinations, where the water has worn away some of the cliff to produce a cave behind the falls. This is certainly one of the highlights of Hedge Creek Falls, since the trial passes behind the cataract and continues on to an overlook above the Sacramento River. After a rain, when the falls are really going is a great time to experience its power potential. This will soon be the most popular trail in the region, once the trail from the lookout to nearby Mossbrae Falls is completed!

Read the trail description here.

Faery Falls

Faery Falls at high water.

In many ways, Faery Falls is part of a greater whole. The entire area seems to exude a magic that the waterfall’s name implies. Near the falls are the ruins of the old Ney Springs resort. Not much is left standing but a well, some walls and a fountain but the site oozes mystery. Running past it is the highlight, which is Ney Springs Creek. Choked with house-sized boulders and numerous smaller cataracts, this one of the prettier creeks in the Mount Shasta area. The centerpiece is, of course, the falls. They are tucked back into a mossy grotto and thunder 40 feet down the cliff. The narrow space means you are likely to get heavily misted when there is a fair amount of water flowing in the creek. During the wet season Faery Falls splits into two wide drops that fan out over the rocks. It’s an awesome sight.

Read the trail description here.

Burstarse Falls

Burstarse Falls

More than any other water waterfall besides the McCloud Falls, Burstarse Creek offers more falling water for the effort. Not only is Burstarse Falls an excellent waterfall on its own, but Lower Burstarse Falls is a worthy destination on its on. Indeed, many hikers get to the lower falls and believe they have made it to the main attraction and then leave satisfied with what they have seen. In addition to the two main falls, there are numerous cascades and smaller waterfalls along the creek. Burstarse Falls itself is an 80 foot giant, surging off of a large granite cliff in the Castle Crags. Accessing the main falls is a little challenging since there is only a faint trail leading through a narrow slot canyon but with a little care it is easy enough even for children. It is most definitely worth the effort.

Read the trail description here.

Root Creek Falls

Castle Dome and Root Creek Falls

While Burstarse Falls might offer a number of cataracts for the effort, Root Creek Falls represents the opposite. There is almost no running water at all along the hike until the last 0.2 mile but the spectacle at the end is unsurpassed by any other in the Mount Shasta area this time of year. Root Creek Falls is like a slice of Yosemite splendor deposited here at the foot of Mount Shasta. The falls are a series of plunges over granite cliffs, totaling over 100 feet in height. The creek thunders from cascade to cascade through an increasingly narrow granite gorge. The falls alone are a grand sight but the scene is crowned by the mighty fang of Castle Dome jutting up into the sky directly above the falls. It really does seem like a vision from the renowned halls of Yosemite. The hike to Root Creek varies in length depending on trailhead but neither option is difficult and the reward at the end is magnificent.

Read the trail description here.

Whitney Falls

A dry Whitney Falls in spring.

It almost seems inappropriate to include Whitney Falls in this list of springtime waterfalls. It is more than likely that the falls will not be flowing during the spring. Despite the melting snow on the north side of Mount Shasta, most of the thaw runoff soaks into the porous volcanic terrain. Instead, this waterfall is fed in the summer by the melting of the massive Whitney Glacier. However, of all the main trails through the Mount Shasta Wilderness, the hike to Whitney Falls is the lowest and most readily accessible in the spring. A light winter means the trail could easily be open sometime in April. While the falls may be dry at that time, the hike itself remains a worthy one, with views of Mount Shasta, lava flows, deep canyons and far to the north across Shasta Valley and into Oregon. It is definitely a worthy hike, whether the falls are running now or not.

Read the trail description here.

 

Northern California Review: Thousand Lakes Wilderness

Posted by bubbasuess on March 28, 2020
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Mount Shasta. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Everett Lake in the Thousand Lakes Wilderness.

Mention of the California Cascades naturally bring to mind two great landmarks: Mount Shasta and Lassen Volcanic National Park. The former is a singular, magnificent mountain while the latter also features an excellent volcano but a host of other features including lakes, cinder cones and active geothermal features. There is, however, another Cascade region that rises nearly to the level of these two excellent destinations yet manages to stay off the radar despite being prominently visible from Mount Shasta down to the Central Valley. This area, the Thousand Lakes Wilderness, also boasts a tall volcano, beautiful lakes, cinder cones and large lava flows. It is classic Cascade terrain, all bundled up in a compact package with an extensive trail network and beautiful landscapes.

Mount Shasta and Crater Peak from Magee Peak on the crater rim.

Although it is one of northern California’s smaller wilderness areas at 16,335 acres, the compact unit of protected wild land nonetheless offers an overlooked and seldom used slice of gorgeous mountain real estate. This pocket wilderness is part of the greater Lassen area, lying only 7 miles north of Lassen Volcanic National Park’s northern boundary. the true centerpiece of the Thousand Lakes Wilderness is the remnants of the Thousand Lakes Volcano. Prior to its prehistoric eruption, the peak is estimated to have been over 10,000 feet high. During its active period the volcano below its top, leaving a vast crater. In the subsequent epoch of glaciation, a large glacier formed in the crater and then began to move to the northeast. The crater rim was breached and the glacier scoured out a large valley. A smaller glacier formed to the south and followed a parallel path as the one that formed in the crater.

Freaner Peak above Eiler Lake.

Just northeast of the volcano, lying directly in the path of the glaciers, is the Thousand Lakes Valley. Here the glaciers were hemmed in by the lava uplift of Freaner Peak. The glaciers pushed their moraines into this depression, filling it with glacial till. Eventually the glaciers melted and the valley was filled lakes. The lakes now found in the wilderness are the detritus of these glaciers. Most of them are found in the Thousand Lakes Valley, the depression lying between the Thousand Lakes Volcano itself on the west and Freaner Peak on the east. Only a few lakes, notably the best two, Everett and Magee, are not in the Thousand Lakes Valley. These two lakes are higher up, at the base of the old volcanic rim. If one is more interested in high peaks and alpine terrain than in mountain lakes, the crater rim is the part of the wilderness that will attract. Unfortunately, nothing approaching the promised tally of lakes are to be found. In fact, only 9 lakes have names, the rest of the lakes being small nameless pools. Of the 9 lakes that are named, only three, Eiler, Everett and Magee, are first rate. Nevertheless, these lakes are classic alpine pools that offer great scenery, swimming and fishing.

Crater Peak from Everett Lake

The highest point in the Thousand Lakes Wilderness is 8,677 foot Crater Peak. As its name implies, it is the highest point on the rim of the old volcano. Magee Peak and the Red Cliffs are also prominent points along the crater rim. Views from this slice of mountain terrain are fantastic, taking in both Mount Shasta and Lassen Peak. Other high peaks in the wilderness are Fredonyer Peak, a major spur off of the Thousand Lakes Volcano and the Red Cliffs, which anchor the eastern end of the old crater rim. Freaner Peak, a large shield volcano in the northeast corner of the wilderness is the tallest peak not connected to the Thousand Lakes Volcano. Additionally, there are a number of cinder cones, the largest of which are Eiler Butte, Hall Butte and the Tumble Buttes.

While there are numerous named peaks in the wilderness, they all are part of the remnants of the ancient Thousand Lakes Volcano. The tallest summits, Crater, Magee and Fredonyer are all prominent points on the crater rim or its spurs. It is the accumulation of these points that are visible from a distance. Despite being nearly 2,000 feet shorter than nearby Lassen Peak, the Thousand Lakes Volcano still rises prominently above the surrounding landscape.

The Thousand Lakes Wilderness and the Thousand Lakes Volcano from Mount Shasta.

The Thousand Lakes volcano from the Chaos Crags in Lassen Volcanic National Park.

The broad-shoulders and crater rim of the Thousand Lakes volcano are obvious from Redding.

The Thousand Lakes Wilderness is one of the southern most areas in the Cascades Range. The Cascades stretch from southern Canada south through Washington and Oregon, all the way to Lassen Peak, which is just a few miles south of the Thousand Lakes Wilderness. Moving north through California, the Cascades begin with the Lassen area, which is encompassed in Lassen Volcanic National Park and moves north, including the Hat Creek Valley and many peaks that ring the valley, including the Thousand Lakes’ peaks, Sugarloaf Peak and Burney Mountain. It is reasonable to say that the greater Lassen area ends at the Pitt River and Burney Falls.

Beyond the Pitt, the Cascade crest is subdued and composed of scattered volcanic plugs and cinder cones before it reaches the Antelope-Butte Complex of peaks. From here the Cascade crest becomes more defined, eventually forming a single ridge moving north from Herd Peak to the Goosenest to Willow Creek Mountain then finally diving down to the Klamath River and entering Oregon. The grand peak of the California Cascades, Mount Shasta, is actually a large outlier, well west of the crest of the range. East of the crest extends the Modoc Plateau which is bounded in the east by the Warner Mountains. The pleateau is home numerous volcanic features, the most famous of which is Lava Beds National Monument.

The entire region around the Thousand Lakes Wilderness is volcanic.

It is within this regional context one finds the Thousand Lakes Wilderness. Even though it is at the southern end of a massive mountain range, the compact nature of the Thousand Lakes volcano and its accompanying wilderness as well as the rugged terrain surrounding it give it a more expansive feel than one might expect from its size. Indeed, the Thousand Lake Wilderness is the crown jewel of the larger, Hat Creek Valley region. It is bounded on the south by Lassen Volcanic National Park and on the north by the Pitt River. Its eastern boundary is the Hat Creek Rim, a long series of cliffs forming a 600 foot high rampart. The western perimeter of the Hat Creek Valley is made of the Cascade Crest, composed of, as previously mentioned, a series of high peaks, including the Thousand Lakes Volcano. The whole valley nakedly exhibits its volcanic past and boasts numerous lava flows.

As mentioned earlier, there is a great network of trails in the Thousand Lakes Wilderness. Four trailheads, each located at one of the compass points, provide access. The hub of the network is located in the Thousand Lakes Valley and trails radiate out to the trailheads and up to the Everett and Magee Lakes and the crater rim. Note that the trail coming from the west side is still discernible and can be hiked but is no longer being maintained by the Forest Service. The best access to the crater are is from the Cypress trailhead.

Interestingly, the Thousand Lakes Wilderness is not connected to the Pacific Crest Trail, though it lies just a few miles west of this grand route. The high country of the wilderness, particularly the crater rim, is prominently visible from many sections of the PCT through this area, especially from the Hat Creek Rim. The route of the PCT through this area is a curious question. The better terrain and ample water sources lie on the west side of Hat Creek, where there are many lakes and intermittent creeks. The landscapes are more in keeping with what the trail is typically known for. The current route is notoriously dry and more in keeping with the desert terrain of southern California. However, passage through the high country would likely have necessitated more dirt road crossings and lies west of Hat Creek, making the crest of the Cascades not the true watershed divide.

The PCT is marked in yellow.

Lastly, it must be mentioned that the Eiler Fire burned a portion of the the Thousand Lakes Wilderness. However, considering the damage wrought by this conflagration and the fire’s provenance on the shores of Eiler Lake, remarkably little of the wilderness itself was damaged. Most of the destruction was to the east, in the Hat Creek Valley. There are some snags on the east end of Eiler Lake where the fire started but the rest of the wilderness, especially anywhere were trails pass, there is little indication that a large fire occurred in the region.

Thousand Lakes Wilderness Gallery:

Distancing Pt. II: A Weekend Around Mount Shasta

Posted by bubbasuess on March 24, 2020
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Mount Shasta. 16 Comments

Unsettled weather over Mount Shasta defined the unsettling last week.

These are strange days we are living through. The world is shutting down for a time, people are uncertain and aspects of hardship are setting in for many in shuttered industries. It is cause for much prayer and consideration. Nonetheless, up here in Mount Shasta, as with my family at least, the world remains almost entirely unchanged. I work from home, my wife works in an essential business and we homeschool are kids. Other than a few of their activities, little has been different and their awareness of any changes in the world only comes from overhearing their parents discussing things. Even the “shelter in place” order means running around on acres of empty land behind our house. I am grateful that they are able to live like this.

Fortunately, the last weekend, when the social distancing and shelter in place way of life became the norm, coincided with some beautiful spring weather. We still have snow on the ground on our house from the last big storm system but it really began to melt in earnest. We took advantage of the weather and headed outside as a family and enjoyed the marvelous beauty that is the Mount Shasta area.

The first day we headed out we did a fantastic loop on the upper Sacramento River. This is a great place to hike and enjoy the river as it flows through a wild floodplain. It isn’t too far from the road but any signs of civilization seem half a world away (listening to Oasis song of the same name as I write this). The colorful rocks and crystalline water are magical and it remains one of my family’s favorites.

The next day I was off to explore the Siskiyous solo. I headed for an elusive seasonal waterfall. It takes some interesting route-finding but is not too hard to reach. Unfortunately, when I got there it was dry, despite the rain and snow that fell a few days before. Its watershed is very small but it is beautiful while running. The falls are within sight of Mount Ashland in a strangely semi-arid environment. I love that kind of landscape. The day was made even better by taking an alternative route that follows the Shasta River through its spectacular canyon. I am surprised this canyon is not more well-known.

On Sunday we headed out yet again, this time to Weed and hiked a short but scenic trail with great views.

 

That night we capped it off with a campfire and hot dogs. The snow had melted considerably and it was warm enough for the kids to be comfortable outside. It was a great way to finish off the weekend.

On Monday morning I was up early to checking out the sunrise. The rapidly shifting weather meant there might be a lenticular. There was indeed a disk near the mountain. I headed over to Lake Siskiyou and was pleased to see the lake relatively still. With a great sky full of clouds, I was anticipating a terrific sunrise. It was not meant be, however. Clouds far to the east filtered out a lot of the sunrise light and pink color hit only a small area for only a brief moment. Fortunately I was in position to catch it and while it was not as good as I had hoped, it was quite beautiful.

Now another we are into another week of social distancing and winter weather. It is not a great combination. As I write this it is snowing outside.

Hopefully the weather will change in a few days and we can all head back outside again.

With the new While the shelter in place order is in effect, we have been careful where we have gone outside. We picked hikes and destinations where we are confident we aren’t going to run into other people. Thus far, in all four trips out, we have had only a single encounter. One of the great things about the Mount Shasta area is how easy it is to slip out of the well-traveled corridors and enjoy the magnificent creation we are blessed with while not impacting other people. There are so many off-the-beaten-path spots around this area it is mind-boggling. My wife and I are grateful to be able to share that with our kids. Only our oldest (10) is beginning to understand his good fortune.

I am thinking that I may start a new series on the blog. I have always kept the focus on Mount Shasta and the surrounding area, rarely blogging anything about myself or other personal activities. I have put up stuff about my kids (like this post) but I have lots of other things I have wanted to write about but have intentionally stayed away from. Now, as the world has changed a bit, perhaps I ought to change the site a bit too. I am considering two new series. The first would focus on places beyond Mount Shasta and even beyond Northern California that are important to me. I love writing about places, wherever they may be and this may be a good time, while we are sheltering in place, to travel there in spirit. The second series would examine music that I have strong emotional attachments to outdoor places. I have a strong tendancy to link music with places I heard them and forever keep them linked. I’m not sure if my personal associations would be interesting to anyone, but I think examining music would be a fun vehicle to look back on things I have experienced. I am even considering shutting down HikeMtShasta as we know it and just doing things like this. That’s another conversation though. Any thoughts on which direction I should take in the short term?

Distancing In The Shasta Valley

Posted by bubbasuess on March 19, 2020
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Mount Shasta. Leave a comment

Evening light on Mount Shasta and the Whaleback.

There is obviously a lot happening right now, though in some ways it seems like nothing is happening, since the way to fight contagion is to turn things off and break apart into smaller social units. I don’t have much to say about the events taking place other than to say they seem strangely distant and detached. My wife and I home school our kids and I work from home. Consequently, our lives haven’t been disrupted other than a few canceled events for the kids. Nonetheless, the method of combating a virus is for the maximum number of people to buy into isolation and help slow the spread of the sickness.

In my mind, what better kind of a place to do that than out in nature and on the trail. Few people, lots of isolation, not pent up inside. The timing for the social distancing was a bit frustrating, as the call for it hit right when the Mount Shasta area was getting a decent dose of snow. The kids played outside some but, after the warm weather we have had and the obvious onset of spring, the enthusiasm for playing in the snow has waned considerably. Thankfully we have a few days of warmer, sunnier weather coming in and Wednesday afternoon was the first such moment.

With our house and the surrounding area still covered in fresh snow, I opted to head up into the Shasta Valley, where the views are excellent and the high desert prevails. We were not disappointed. It was a grand time and the views were, as expected, excellent. The kids relished the opportunity to get outside and climb on the rocks and run through the grass and juniper. Naturally, I had to capture a few images. This segment of the valley is particularly interesting to me because of the proliferation of old rock walls. They add a nice compliment of lines to the naturally beauty.

Click to enlarge:

It was notable that north of Mount Shasta the snow level was at around 5,500 – 6,000 feet. It was good evidence that the mountain’s rain shadow was having its effect. My house, which is west of the mountain, is at about 3,900 feet and we have 6-7 inches of snow on the ground. Outside of the rain shadow, the snow levels are significantly lower. North of the mountain less precipitation falls and the higher elevations are able to pull more out of passing storms.

On a more sober note, it is fascinating to witness the events whirling around us. Isolating may be necessary but it can cause feelings of helplessness too. There is a lot of uncertainty afoot and the potential for a lot of suffering. Psalm 145 comes to my mind frequently during times of trial and it is a good reminder that things are bigger than they appear and there are powers at work beyond our finite appreciation.

With that being said, if you are in the Mount Shasta area, and our in some kind of need, be it food or “mountain money” or anything else, shoot me an email. My church is actively out helping people during this crisis (in a responsible fashion, of course). I can mobilize someone to help if you need it. In the mean time, isolate on the trail!

Thirty-Five Hours In The Evolution Of A Mount Shasta Lenticular

Posted by bubbasuess on March 7, 2020
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Lenticular Clouds, Mount Shasta. Leave a comment

A lenticular cloud above Mount Shasta presages a coming storm.

The winter of 2019-20 got off to a good start, with a large snow storm early and some consistent precipitation throughout December and January. The latter month ended with another good snow storm dropping upwards of 2 feet at the lower elevations. Since then, however, February has been brutally dry and pleasantly warm, a combination that has left the snowpack in a reduced state as we advance toward spring. Consequently, it was with anticipation that I had been watching the approaching storm system in the forecast. It looked as though we would finally get some much needed precipitation. Of course, the shift from a warm, dry weather pattern to a stormy one also presented a high likelihood of a lenticular forming over Mount Shasta and heralding the coming change in the weather.

With clouds predicted to gather Friday (March 6) and snow and rain promised for Saturday, it looked proper for a good cloud to manifest. I did reckon that Thursday would be the first indication that a cloud may appear and, not surprisingly, this was the case. Interestingly enough, it arrived Thursday morning, persisted throughout the day and through the night and on into Friday. It was still there as the clouds closed in and the storm finally arrived in the afternoon. While interesting, it never rose to the high level of a great lenticular event but it was still a fascinating spectacle.

The following images track the formations development over a roughly 35 hour period.

Click to enlarge:

It’s snowing at my house now. A couple of inches fell during the night. I give thanks for it.

Another Near-Great Lenticular On Mount Shasta

Posted by bubbasuess on March 3, 2020
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Lenticular Clouds, Mount Shasta. Leave a comment

Rockpile view of cloud-covered Mount Shasta is graced by a great flying wing.

Monday morning was another near miss as far as lenticulars go. The cloud started off incredibly promising but in the end, left me hoping for more. Part of this was due to the nature of the conditions on the mountain but also to tactical decisions I made while trying to find the best position from which to photograph the mountain and cloud. The final result was a great cloud but nothing quite coming together the way I hoped it would.

It began when I was up early and saw a large floating lenticular southwest of the mountain. At the time Mount Shasta itself had a small lenticular wave on it but the mountain was clearly visible. While still dark, I headed out to Sheep Rock, which is one of my favorite shooting locations when clouds are in the position that I assessed this one to be it. My initial reckoning of the clouds location was similar to the previous epic lenticular on Mount Shasta. However, by the time I got to Sheep Rock, it was evident the cloud was too far to the west and was now obscured by Mount Shasta. To make matters worse, the little wave had now grown and covered the entire mountain, totally blocking it from view.

I headed back west, hoping to get the cloud in view enough to just document its existence while it still had some color on it from sunrise. I did manage to do this but only after the color had shifted from pink to orange. The mountain itself was a lost cause.

While Mount Shasta was a disappointment, the view of Mount Eddy was excellent and the peak also boasted a great lenticular formation. Mount Eddy does not attract great formations the way Mount Shasta does but, from time to time, it still manages to generate its own. It is nice to be able to catch them in good conditions when they happen.

As the sun was coming up, the conditions actually improved and Mount Shasta became a little more apparent through the clouds. An inversion layer seemed to have formed and the edge of the cloud became clearly defined rather than just an amorphous smudge covering the mountain. The summit also came clearly into view. I headed over to some of my favorite rocks north of Lake Shastina and was able to capture some interesting shots of the mountain and the large floating lenticular. Satisfied that the morning’s effort was completely wasted, I headed home.

Latter in the day the floating lenticular had dissipated but the clouds on the mountain remained. At times they flirted with coalescing into a dome-like shape but it never really came together the way I hoped.

By sunset, there was just a wisp of cloud left, forming a partial ring around the summit. It wasn’t the spectacular sunset that I hoped the morning had augured but it, as always, I count the blessings of seeing Mount Shasta in its evening light. As Teddy Roosevelt said of Mount Shasta’s alpenglow, it is one of the grandest sights I have ever seen.

 

The Wild Sacramento River – A Great Place For Winter Scrambling

Posted by bubbasuess on February 29, 2020
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Mount Shasta, Rivers, Trinity Divide. Leave a comment

Winter view of Mount Eddy from the Sacramento River.

This winter started off with a few great snow storms and that was sustained right through January. However, February dried up and the temperatures went up and what looked like a promising winter has ended up not fulfilling its auspiciousness. While this may present challenges down the road (I don’t think drought is a concern but fire is the primary risk at this point), there is little we can do about it but enjoy the positive side of the mild weather we have been enjoying. While the high country trails are still buried in snow, the lower elevation trails are still open. They are all beautiful, feature interesting geology and are all worthy hikes. What they all lack, however, is a sense of wildness that is found on most of the trails in the high country. That, more than anything else, is the great lack of the winter hiking experience in the Mount Shasta area. There are, however, a few places to find even this most primal attribute. I think my most favorite of these is along the upper Sacramento River, upstream from Lake Siskiyou. Here the river runs wild, the world seems far off and an air of wilderness is pervasive. It is one of my favorite places withing quick striking distance of town.

I have taken my family there a few times in the past couple weeks and we have all enjoyed scrambling on the rocks, enjoying the river and exploring the wild stretches of forest. In all the trips we have taken, only one encounter with other hikers has been had. This really is a premier place to play outside and enjoy one of the region’s less-appreciated destinations.

The wild part of the Sacramento River begins high in the Trinity Divide, rising as three forks that originate from beautiful alpine lakes and expansive, lush meadows. The three forks course energetically through deep canyons before combining into the main stem of the Sacramento, just upstream from the Box Canyon Dam and Lake Siskiyou. When the forks emerge from their canyons, the river flows through a broad valley with ridges lower than the ones that line the headwater canyons. Here the river’s flood plain widens significantly, revealing a vast field of multi-colored river rock. The river charges through the rocky way, pouring over, through and around the rocks that litter its path. Here the Sacramento’s essential character is kinetic and the river manages to at once refresh and energize visitors.

Plenty of rocks to scramble on.

Plenty of rocks to scramble on.

I grew up visiting Yosemite many times per year, for extended periods of time. Since the 1960’s, my family had been staying in the park’s Housekeeping Camp, an extension of famed Camp Curry, where cabins were constructed of concrete walls, canvas roofs and wooden plank fences. The camp is situated on a bend in the Merced River and many of the cabins are located right next to the river. Nowadays much of the riverfront area is fenced off and restoration efforts have allowed the banks to revegitate. This was not the case when I was a kid and the longest stretch of Housekeeping’s riverfront was several hundred yards of large boulders that functioned as riprap near the cabins. As a child, my brother and I would charge up and down the length of this section of river, jumping from one large boulder to the next as fast as possible. This was the earliest memory I have of loving to scramble on rocks and over granite. I still love to do this and it is for this reason that the newly formed Sacramento, just downstream from the confluence of the South and Middle Forks is a place that I am particularly fond of. It is here that I am able to indulge once again in the pleasure of scrambling over stones in the presence of a beautiful river.

Between the confluence of the South and Middle Forks and the inlet into Lake Siskiyou, it is possible to find many spots with plenty of opportunities to enjoy scrambling on the rocks. Nearer to the confluence, the river channel is narrower but there are still plenty of huge rocks to enjoy and small swimming holes to cool off in. Further downstream, as the Sacramento approaches the North Fork, the channel widens and the river rock consists of vast, unbroken fields of boulders, cut by the churning water of the river. Enjoying the beautiful, multi-colored rocks and the lovely river is made all the easier by the presence of Mount Shasta, visible beyond the river in many places.

SacScram

It is easy to pick a spot from which to enjoy the river. Almost anywhere on South Fork Road, once it has crossed into the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, will offer access to a good spot next to the water. Some spots closer to Lake Siskiyou have cliffs on the south side, so getting down to the river can be a bit challenging but most of the area where the road and river run parallel has an easy approach to the water. Many spots on the river have unofficial campsites, where it is possible to pitch a tent just above the water or only a stones through away. A couple of these sites are even blessed with incredible views of Mount Shasta, its mighty cone towering above the river.

There are no trails along this section of the Sacramento River and scrambling over the rocks is the only way to enjoy the raucous beauty. However, scrambling over rocks next to a beautiful river is one of the great joys of being in the mountains and the Sacramento River has one of the best scrambling areas around. It is a special place, whether you are bringing kids who are sure to have fun climbing on the rocks or you are in search of a place conducive to great contemplation. Whatever the reason, just be sure to visit the Sacramento and enjoy one of the great treats of the Mount Shasta area.

Click to enlarge: