Waves And Wind On A March Mount Shasta Morning

Posted by bubbasuess on March 12, 2018
Posted in: Boy Scouts, Cascade Range, Hiking, Lenticular Clouds, Mount Shasta. 1 Comment

Thin, swift-moving waves indicate changing weather systems.

My two most favorite sounds are running water over rocks (preferably slabs of granite) and the lonely wind early in the morning high in the mountains. The former naturally comes from my many trips to the Sierra when I was young. Of the latter, the first time I remember that wind really resonating me was early in the morning near Apache Springs at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, when I was a Boy Scout. Ever since then, I have wanted to get up early and sit somewhere with a great view and let the wind blow around me.

Cloudless afternoon at Lake Siskiyou.

This morning was very much like that experience back in Philmont. I have been in a real rut lately, only photographing Mount Shasta from 3 easy to get to places near my house. I have been neglecting some of my other preferred locations and all of my less-than-easy-to-get-to spots. This morning I sought to change that and got up early, while it was still very dark. I headed out to one of my less-frequented locations and set my self up to watch the sunrise light on Mount Shasta. The day before had been gorgeous and there was not a cloud in the sky. The same held true when I first headed out this morning. Though there had been almost no clouds when I arrived, frustratingly, the clouds quickly rolled in and partially obscured my view, right when the mountain was really lighting up. I got a few shots of color on Mount Shasta, but what really caught my eye was a wave-like cloud that kept forming and reforming.

The light having faded, I head back toward home. I stopped to admire the fantastic clouds and color on the Castle Crags, as well as the beautiful conditions above the Trinity Divide. The Little Castle Lake area had some particularly awesome cloud waves overhead. There even appeared to be a small lenticular forming above Mount Eddy. It was a striking, beautiful morning. However, the spectacle was far from over.

After taking a few shots of the aforementioned peaks, I headed home. As I did, I noticed the wave I had seen early had grown and turned into a series of fast-flying clouds that were racing past Mount Shasta. The wispy wave grew as it moved until a stunning complex of wavy clouds began to encroach on Mount Shasta. It was a magnificent sight, and a great way to cap off a beautiful morning. Of course, as is so often the case, this kind of cloud activity on Mount Shasta is often a harbinger of bad weather. Right now, the forecast is calling for 2 solid weeks of rain and snow. Come on spring!

Click to enlarge:

A Quick Look At Mount Shasta’s Northern River Conditions

Posted by bubbasuess on March 10, 2018
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Mount Shasta, Rivers, Uncategorized. Leave a comment

Mount Shasta, before the storm.

As noted in the image above, the storm was heralded by some near-lenticular clouds. These clouds frequently indicate the coming of a storm. The subsequent weather system that moved through the area yielded a fair amount of precipitation and we have endured a week of soggy, rainy weather here in Mount Shasta. While the water is welcome, it is generally not the most pleasant while in the midst of it. It’s right at the point where it is too cold to just head out and do something fun but not cold enough to snow. Fortunately, we are nearing the end of winter and warmer temperatures are coming, even if they have not yet arrived.

Yesterday I had some business in the Shasta Valley and used that as an opportunity to check in on the Shasta River. While not nearly as large as the nearby Sacramento or Klamath Rivers, the sight of the Shasta River running through the high desert of the Shasta Valley is always a pleasing sight to my eye. Many places along its course remind me of parts of New Mexico I frequented while I attended gradschool in Texas. I tend to have three areas I like to check out. One is at the point where water the water was diverted to the Yreka Ditch, and then another downstream from where water is diverted from Parks Creek into the Shasta River. The third spot I like to examine is on Parks Creek, once water has been diverted over to the Shasta River.

Upstream from the Yreka Ditch diversion, the Shasta River had pretty good flow. However, further downstream and beyond the point where water is added after being diverted from Parks Creek, the Shasta River had decent flow, but it looks more anemic than I anticipated. Parks Creek itself did not have very much water it. Considering the warm rain we have been having, I expected more water . This last storm definitely seemed to break at the southern side of Mount Shasta and the rainshadow was making itself known on the north side. Very little snow fell north of Weed. I think that the lack of runoff at this point is due to the low temperatures in the mountains, so snow has been falling at higher elevations and the warmer rain here in the low areas. If that is the case, it bodes better for summer.

The snow certainly is melting rapidly at my house. I am higher up than Mount Shasta City and the difference is striking. The snow is almost entirely gone in town but I still have a bit where I live.

Though there seems to be more wet weather coming, this weekend seems especially nice, with warmer temps and sun. Sunday looks to be a great day to get outside. I may have more on that tomorrow morning.

The cloud on Mount Shasta this morning really wanted to be a lenticular, but couldn’t quite muster the strength to do so.

Finally! Some Real Snow In Mount Shasta

Posted by bubbasuess on March 3, 2018
Posted in: Hiking, Mount Shasta. 1 Comment

Evening sunlight illuminates Mount Shasta after a winter storm.

After a remarkably dry winter, a real snow storm finally rolled through the Mount Shasta area. Up until now, we have gotten a little rain and a little snow, but no big systems really dropped much of the white stuff. Nonetheless, as many know, March tends to be one of the months with the most significant snowfall around here. I have been saying that I would not really be panicking about the winter unless we got through March without a big storm. Thankfully the winter finally produced. As I noted, I returned to Mount Shasta from Sonoma County to find several inches of snow on the ground. This was followed a few days later by a significant storm that dropped a couple feet of snow at my house.

My front yard during a brief break in the storm. 

This was easily the biggest storm since the big one that hit in January of 2017. That storm dumped several feet and compared to that, this was only a moderate amount of precipitation. Nonetheless, during what has been shaping up to be another drought winter, the copious snow was welcome indeed, even if it meant pulling out the blower and clearing off my copious driveways, as well as those that access the cabin. My kids were more than eager to get outside and play. Digging seems to be their activity of choice for some reason, though my older son loves to stand in the snow being ejected from my snowblower. Go figure.

While the storm was significant, it really did not compare to the big one from last year. That one nearly overwhelmed the roads and was a tremendous amount of work to dig out of. This one really needed two passes with the snowblower and that was about it. For comparison, here is a shot from last year’s snowmageddon and one from a similar spot this year:

Obviously, the volume does not compare. I am grateful for what we have received regardless. Going through a winter without at least one big storm would mean a miserable snow pack during the summer. It is not great now, but at least there is actually a snow pack. The drought winters of 2013 and 2014 were horribly dry and this has easily blown past those and builds on the recovery of last year’s excellent winter. Even in town, the activity seems to be buzzing. The ski park is open and businesses that serve the outdoor community are busy. Winter is really here in Mount Shasta and just in time too, since spring will be upon us in short order.

After being in Sonoma County for a week and then coming back to storms, it was great to finally see Mount Shasta again as the storm broke. The mountain is laden with snow and was just beginning to pick up some color as the sun began to set. Shadows were cast and disappeared and clouds rolled by in the fading light. It was magnificent as always.

The Psychological Value Of The Trinity Alps’ Presence

Posted by bubbasuess on March 3, 2018
Posted in: Hiking, Klamath Mountains, Mount Shasta, Trinity Alps, Trinity Divide, Wilderness. 1 Comment

Looking down on Emerald and Sapphire Lakes and the craggy heart of the Trinity Alps.

One of the things I appreciate about living in Mount Shasta is the great and diverse expanses of mountains that seem to stretch out in all directions. Mount Shasta itself is massive and beyond it to the east are the Cascades, an unpopulated, seemingly unending array of mountains, valleys and ridges that extend eastward toward Nevada. Yet, as beautiful and fascinating as this area is, it is to the west that my thoughts most often turn. Immediately west of Mount Shasta is the criminally underrated Trinity Divide. Rugged and scenic, the Divide is a fantastic mountain backyard for those living at the foot of Mount Shasta. But it is further west, on the others side of these mountains, that the real jewel of the North State’s mountain ranges is found. Just west of the Trinity Divide are the sublime Trinity Alps.

The Trinity Alps are one of the largest subranges of the Klamath Mountains, a range that extends from the North Yolla Bollies, west of Red Bluff, all the way into Oregon, terminating north of Grants Pass. Though there are many spectacular corners of the Klamaths, it is the Trinity Alps that ultimately claims the crown as the grandest slice of alpine scenery. Here vast stretches of granite peaks, towering peaks, tall waterfalls, deep canyons unusual geology all combine to create a stunning mountain paradise.

Highway 299 is deep within the fog covered Trinity River Canyon.

To say these mountains are vast is an understatement. Nowhere else in the North State is there a wild land that covers so a great a territory as the Trinity Alps. The formal wilderness boundary encompasses 525,627 acres. It is the second largest wilderness administered by the US Forest Service in California (surpassed only by the gargantuan John Muir Wilderness. The Trinities are often erroneously cited as the second largest wilderness in California, but this is not the case, as several wilderness areas administered by the National Park Service surpass it, including Yosemite, Sequoia-Kings Canyon and Death Valley.) The actual size of the Trinities is somewhat larger and can be defined as being the area that lies in the center of a circle of paved roads that surround. Highway 3 marks the eastern boundary, Highway 299 dileneates the south, Highway 96 hems in the western side and the Cecilville-Callahan Road marks the northern extent.

The Trinity Alps lie at the center of a ring of remote highways and roads.

The scale and scope of this awesome cluster of mountains offers people in the Mount Shasta area the best of both worlds. To our east we have the great, icy heights of Mount Shasta to explore and enjoy. Yet to the west, we are blessed with a staggering mountain fastness, vast and wild beckoning  us to venture into it and explore.

To put the wildness of this region into perspective, I like to make the point that, heading slightly southwest from Mount Shasta, there are only two paved roads between the area at the foot of the mountain and the coastal areas that surround Highway 101. The two roads, Highway 3 and Highway 96 are crossed at the eastern and western sides of the Trinities. The area in between them is wild, roadless and rugged. There are a few dirt roads permeating the Trinity Divide and the narrow strip of the Coast Range, but paved roads, the great mark of civilization, is an endangered species. Two paved roads between Mount Shasta and the coast, a distance of nearly 100 miles. There are few places in California, let alone elsewhere in the West, were such a great distance can be traveled and a paucity of paved roads will be found (or not found, as it may be).

I find these facts comforting. The knowledge that a great, untrammeled, spectacular wilderness lying “just over the mountain” from the Mount Shasta area means that there always possibility. It means there are adventures close at hand that may take unknown courses and create memories unexpected. It means there is a frontier just around the corner, where the future can be made and life can be simplified. Americans have always been a people of the frontier. It is in our national DNA. For over a century, it was manifest by pioneers moving out beyond the confines of civilization, to exist within the wilderness. When the west was won, the frontier was reduced but our geography ensured that there were pockets of land left to be explored. Some of these are vast, others small, but all hold value in remaining wild.

We now venture beyond the frontier, into the wild lands for a host of reasons, but all can be distilled down, I think, into the idea that there is something greater than we are and we have a need to find our place within that. Even if we do not enter the Trinity Alps or any other wilderness, their presence alone is important. It means the frontier is still there and the wilderness is still wild. Edward Abbey noted that “wilderness is not a luxury, but a necessity of the human spirit”. While he and I are in complete opposition metaphysically, there is agreement that there is essential value in the natural world, that the primal landscape is necessary for people, as it gives a glimpse, even if opaque, of Eden and our home. To me, that is what the Trinity Alps offer. The fact that, our backyard is a vast, beautiful paradise uncorrupted and waiting to be explored is something for which to give thanks. Let us be grateful for the Trinity Alps.

A few vistas of the Trinities that, I hope, give some sense of the scale of this mountain range (click to enlarge):

 

 

Mount Shasta Through 10 Remarkable Weeks

Posted by bubbasuess on February 28, 2018
Posted in: Hiking, Lenticular Clouds, Mount Shasta. Leave a comment

Awesome lenticulars form above Mount Shasta in December2017.

When I gave my presentations down in Sonoma, I included a lengthy Power Point with tons of pictures of the trails in the Wine Country and beyond. After covering the local trails, I transitioned from discussing Napa and Sonoma Counties to introducing Mount Shasta. To do this, I included 13 images of the mountain that had been taken over the previous 9 weeks. It included a stunning array of cloud formations, sunrises and sunsets. Indeed, the last 2.5 months have seen a high concentration of spectacular lenticulars and the wintry conditions (despite the lack of snow down low) have made for some gorgeous scenes as the white mountain was illuminated by the rising and setting sun. Looking back through my collections of previous years images, I have not found a time where I observed a similar number of events. Obviously I have missed many great clouds, sunrises and sunsets, but I maintain that mid-December to the end of February saw an unusually high concentration of photogenic conditions.

On top of the incredible sequence of spectacles on Mount Shasta, we were also fortunate to witness a magnificent lunar eclipse. It sure has been a terrific 2.5 months!

Catching Up In Mount Shasta

Posted by bubbasuess on February 27, 2018
Posted in: Boy Scouts, Hiking, Mount Shasta, Sonoma County, Wine Country. Leave a comment

An interesting clouds flirts with becoming a lenticular.

So, after a brief absence, I am back. For the last week, I have been down in Sonoma County tying up a number of loose ends. The reason for the trip was fourfold. First, I spoke at the Sonoma Rotary on Wednesday. I was invited to speak about trails in the Wine Country. This was the first time I have ever been invited to speaking engagement and was a lot of fun. I had another speaking engagement that evening, where, in addition to discussing Wine Country trails, I was able to branch out and talk about Mount Shasta and some other lesser known parts of California. Frankly, it was a lot of fun talking about these awesome areas and I would love to do more events like these. The second reason for the trip down was to attend the Boy Scouts’ Northern California Commissioner College. This was a fascinating training event for adult leaders and I learned quite a bit.

The third reason for heading south was to help my parents with several projects around their new house. As I wrote earlier, my folks lost their home in the devastating Tubbs Fire back in October. Amazingly, within 2 months they had purchased a new home and moved in in January. The house is only 2 years old and had everything they were hoping to find. It is an amazing blessing that they are able to get settled so quickly after losing everything.

The view of Taylor Mountain from the front porch of the new house.

I also had time to head back to the old house, which was stunningly different from the last time I had been there. When I last went by the old place, it was Thanksgiving, dumping rain and everything was an ashy ruin. In the intervening time, the Army Corp of Engineers went through the area and cleaned up all the burned out homes. The area, while in some ways still familiar, does not feel like home anymore. The images below are not from the exact same spot but they are pretty close. Both are looking northwest from the driveway.

Since I was going to be down there for a few days, I brought my kids down and was then joined by my wife, who is also from Sonoma County. Time was spent at the coast as well as some of our old haunts around Santa Rosa. It was great to be back amongst our roots. Though are children are all Siskiyou County kids, we really want them to have a connection to Sonoma County as well and try to foster that whenever we are able.

So, after 6 days down there, we returned home to Mount Shasta and were pleased to discover we a little over 6 inches of snow at our house! There was not nearly as much in town, but we are higher up and catch a lot of precipitation. It really felt like winter finally decided to show up for real!

My backyard after the storm. It’s not like last year but we’re thankful for it!

As I drove around Mount Shasta today, it was capped by some unusual looking clouds and there were some wispy little lentuculars to the south. Alas, they did not survive long enough to be there at sunset. They likely were ushering in another storm system which should arrive tomorrow. Looking at the forecast, it looks like there is a lot more precipitation on the way. It may be that here at the end of February, we may finally start to catch up to where we should be after such a dry winter. If this storm turns out to be anything like the forecast says (upwards of 2 feet possible, though I doubt its close to that!) I’ll put up a post on its progress. What would this site be if I did not blog about the weather?! I’ll close this little update with some shots of Black Butte and Mount Shasta from this evening. We may not see them for a while as these storms role through…

The Castle Creek Watershed: A Premier Outdoor Destination (Or At Least It Could Be)

Posted by bubbasuess on February 17, 2018
Posted in: Castle Crags, Hiking, Mount Shasta, Seldom Seen. 4 Comments

A seldom seen vista of Mount Shasta, the Castle Creek drainage and the Castle Crags.

I started this post off this morning with the intention of highlighting the three Seldom Seen articles I have written that covered areas around the Castle Crags. As I wrote, a spark of an idea kept tugging at the corner of my mind until, after considering it for a little while, I scrapped my post and decided to shift the emphasis. The three areas I have written about already are the Grey Rocks, Castle Creek and the confluence of Castle Creek and the Sacramento River. These are all located in the Castle Creek watershed, which is located on the south side of the Castle Crags. As the nature of the Seldom Seen posts suggests, these areas are not heavily trafficked. This is also the case with the entire Castle Creek watershed taken as a whole. The lone exception to this is the lower flanks of the Castle Crags themselves, where Castle Crags State Park and the Pacific Crest Trail attract visitors. Beyond these pockets of activity, the entire watershed is left abandoned, with only rock climbers, motivated history buffs and some dedicated explorers and peak baggers enjoying what the area has to offer.

The Grey Rocks loom high above Castle Creek.

Yet the Castle Creek watershed is easily one of the most spectacular destinations in Northern California. Almost everything nature lovers could want is found here: soaring granite cliffs and needle-like spires, a large, powerful creek, numerous waterfalls, isolated mountain peaks, expansive vistas, crystalline alpine lakes, lush meadows, deep forests and fascinating historical sites. More than that, the area is arranged in a compact, easy-to-access valley with a paved road climbing to the higher elevations. In short, this could be an incredible recreation resource, if the conditions aligned to make it thus.

The range of activities in the Castle Creek watershed are immense. Rock climbing and hiking are the obvious premier activities, but there is potential for kayaking, sightseeing and exploring as well. It is amazing how undeveloped this area actually is. Few trails have pushed out beyond the wooded slopes of the Castle Crags. The Grey Rocks, Flume Creek Ridge, the upper areas of the Crags as well as Castle Creek itself all remain untapped, spectacular destinations, unvisited by maintained trails. The road that travels through the watershed offers opportunities for a variety of trailheads and for hikes for people unable to explore cross country or take longer and harder hikes, which is what most of the trails in this area currently consist of. Note this map of the watershed:

Red = watershed boundary, Blue = Castle Creek, Yellow = Pacific Crest Trail

Orange = other trails in watershed

An utterly isolated basin in the Castle Creek watershed.

Though the watershed is easily the largest tributary of this upper section of the Sacramento River and it boasts many superlative landmarks, there are relatively few trails capitalizing on the beauty of the area. Naturally the Castle Crags are going to attract attention, but even there the paucity of trails is surprising and disappointing. There is an amazing number of trails waiting to be built, all of which lead to gorgeous destinations. The Grey Rocks are completely untapped, Flume Creek Ridge has incredible views, the waterfalls on the South Fork of Castle Creek are very hard to reach, the main stem of Castle Creek itself is trailless, the historic Ruby Pearl Mine is all but abandoned and many great perches at the base of the Castle Crags cliffs’ are left only to climbers. Even more destinations besides these await to be enjoyed.

Castle Crags from the PCT.

Despite the terrific natural beauty, if the Castle Creek watershed were to ever be developed as a recreation destination, significant barriers would need to be overcome. The most significant is the patchwork of landownership that has broken up the watershed. Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Castle Crags State Park and numerous private land owners all own substantial portions of the Castle Creek area. This results in fragmentation of land management philosophies, public access and an overall vision for the resource. If all the land was brought under one administration or a cooperative management plan was developed between stakeholders, it would be possible to see more preservation and recreation development take place. Personally, I would love to see the state park handed over to the Forest Service and a Castle Crags Recreation Area developed. That way silly incidents like the Rush Creek ADA status might have been avoided.

Naturally, there are those who are quite happy with the undeveloped state of the Castle Creek watershed and would oppose any such changes as have been mentioned here. I confess that a part of me concurs. Nonetheless, I think that, in general, more access and more trails is always a good thing. Creating opportunities for people to enjoy the amazing scenery and the sublime land that we are blessed with will encourage them to work to preserve it and other areas. If developed, a premier destination like the Castle Creek watershed would only help the local economy as well. It would serve as a fantastic southern counterweight to the Gateway expansion. It is unlikely that anything at all will change in the Castle Creek watershed, but for those motivated to get out and explore, one of the most spectacular landscapes in Northern California awaits. It stands alongside Mount Shasta itself and the many other stunning regions in the most stunning state.

Some perspectives of the Castle Creek watershed (click to enlarge):

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gateway Trail Phase II Proposal Review

Posted by bubbasuess on February 12, 2018
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Mount Shasta. Tagged: . 7 Comments

A very approximate rendering of the area covered by the proposed expansion of the Gateway Trail.

On Monday, January 29th, the US Forest Service hosted an informational meeting at the Mount Shasta City Park. The subject of the meeting was the proposed expansion of the Gateway Trail. Located on the southwestern flank of Mount Shasta, the Gateway Trail is an 11 mile network of mixed-use trails that wind through lower elevation areas just outside of Mount Shasta City. Developed by a collection of different groups that include hikers, mountain bikers and government agencies, the trail system has been a popular addition to the recreational opportunities in the Mount Shasta area. Though it is enjoyed by hikers and other users, the Gateway Trail has been particularly embraced by mountain bikers. Having a multi-season, trail network that offers a series of loop possibilities in beautiful and varied terrain so close to town has begun to put Mount Shasta on the mountain biking map. When completed, the Gateway Trail Phase II expansion will solidify Mount Shasta as a premier mountain biking destination.

The expansion is ambitious. In addition to the original 11 miles of existing trails, it will increase the system by 47.5 miles, bringing the total to 58.5 miles. As the miles would indicate, this new phase of development will cover an extensive area on the lower flanks of Mount Shasta. The terrain here is varied. There are creeks and springs, hills and large flat areas, gullies, rock outcroppings, and forests, both natural and plantations. And, any many parts of the trail, there are views that include the upper slopes of Mount Shasta, the Strawberry Valley and the high peaks of the Trinity Divide. In short, the proposed expansion involves beautiful scenery and miles and miles of trail from which to explore it.

At the meeting, the Forest Service provided a number of maps to show where the trails will be located. Based on those, I drew a rough sketch to give a broader view of where the Gateway Phase II will be located. Please excuse the crudity of the model:

Existing Gateway area is marked yellow. Phase II expansion area is red.

Phase II expansion is ambitious and exciting.

The majority of the trails in the expansion will be mixed-use, available for hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers. Though all these groups are welcome, the last is the true target for most of the project. Several trails are included in the proposal to ease flow of bikers in certain loops, provide for multiple levels of biking difficulty and to provide a variety of terrain types. While this particular form of trail use is in primary focus, there are still plenty of opportunities for other users like hikers to get out and enjoy what this new trail system will offer.

Existing trails are gold. Black, blue and green are proposed trails.

A short study of the proposed trail network, as well as corresponding topographic maps, reveals a well thought out series of routes that are both environmentally sensitive and maximizes the best features of the terrain. Wherever possible, the trails avoid dirt roads. However, when crossing ravines, gullies or small canyons, the trails briefly rejoin roads to utilize existing bridges. They then quickly dive back into undeveloped terrain. The map also reveals another excellent feature included in the project: 4 new trailheads in addition to the existing one on Everitt Memorial Highway. Three of the new ones will be higher up on the highway, at McBride Springs, Ten Gallon Plantation and at the Everitt Memorial Vista. This last is an already existing access point that is quite underutilized due to the forest overgrowth. The fourth trailhead is to be developed at the Nordic Center on the Ski Park Highway. The trails also connect to the Ski Park itself, which could also function as a trailhead. Additionally, another trailhead is planned at the south end of Mount Shasta City, near the old mill site. However, the this would be on city property and is, thus, not a part of the Forest Service project.

Another huge feature of this plan is the expansion of the McBride Spring Campground. This site is already heavily utilized and the plan is to double or nearly triple its capacity. The planned McBride trailhead would be directly across the street from the campground and would make a fantastic basecamp from which to explore this vast trail complex.

The entirety of the Phase II expansion is broken up into 3 sections (see above map). They have been dubbed the Community Zone, the Big Mountain Zone and the Learning Zone (with the possible renaming as the Discovery Center). Each of these areas has a different emphasis on use. I have broken out some of the slides from the presentation. A summary of each area as well as the proposed trails are present on each.

The Community Zone is so named because it is close to town but also because this is the place most likely to be used by a wide community of recreators. The anticipation is that the paths here will be used heavily by both hikers and bikers. It is, in many ways, an expansion of the already existing Gateway Trail network. This fills in a lot of unused areas and more than doubles the miles of trails available here. It also explores some interesting features like Morning Star Knoll (aka Rooster Rock) and the lower reaches of Cascade Gulch. It also has some pretty grand vistas of Mount Shasta itself. This section alone would be an incredible trail addition to the Mount Shasta area.

The Big Mountain area is broken into upper and lower sections. Taken together, these areas are envisioned as the most heavily used by mountain bikers. Consequently, much of their design has this use specifically in mind. This is not to say that hikers can’t or won’t venture into this area, but there simply won’t be as much to offer that use here. The Upper section of the Big Mountain Zone would be accessed via the Everitt Memorial Vista and from the planned Ten Gallon Plantation trailhead. This area explores steep terrain, would have difficult trails and travels rarely visited parts of Mount Shasta.

In some ways, this is the most fascinating part of the Phase II expansion. Accessed via trails in the Upper Big Mountain Zone as well as the planned trailhead at the southern end of Mount Shasta City, this is trail network would explore some pretty remote areas. The possibility of hiking or biking this as a lollipop, as well as access from the south end of town present some intriguing adventures.

The final section of the Gateway Phase II expansion is the Learning Zone. This area is located just west of Ski Park Highway and around the large, rounded summit of Everitt Hill. The routes basically connect the Nordic Center to a series of trails that explore the flanks and summit of the hill. Trails also connect to the nearby Ski Park. All the trails in this area are easier and are therefore lend themselves more to beginner and lower intermediate use. This is an area where families with small kids would thrive on the trails. Its proximity to McCloud would also be a huge asset for that community, allowing people to access the entire network from the east, rather than through Mount Shasta City.

The scope and nature of this project is impressive. When completed, this will be an incredible resource for all of southern Siskiyou County. Although already a destination for outdoor enthusiasts, this trail network will likely significantly increase the number of people coming to this area to enjoy the recreational opportunities. For locals, who already have an abundance of riches when it comes to trails and things to do in the outdoors, this will be an over-the-top opportunity that will change the nature of hiking and biking in Mount Shasta. It is exciting to contemplate all the possibilities. All those who have been involved in the planning are to be highly commended!

So where do things stand now? It is my understanding that a significant amount of the funding has already been obtained but more most be secured going forward. For now, the Forest Service is going through the EIR and NEPA (I really dislike NEPA). This will likely take a year or so to complete. When that is done, assuming the findings are appropriate, construction of the whole network and the trailheads is expected to take 3 years. Realistically, this is likely to be done around 2022 or 2023. I imagine, though, that it is possible that one of the zones could be completed in 2 years time and folks are riding and hiking trails by sometime in 2020 (pure speculation on my part).

I initially thought about including a pros & cons section in this review but, honestly, I don’t think there are any significant drawbacks to this project. What issues there are tend to be more subjective in nature. Some folks might not like the increase of people coming from out of town to enjoy the trails. Other might not like informal trails being decommissioned. There can be complaints around numerous points of the project but overall, this is a well thought out and exciting opportunity for Mount Shasta. I, for one, am excited to explore the new trails as they are constructed.

That being said, I do have a few suggestions that I think would significantly enhance the Gateway Phase II expansion:

  • The additions to the McBride Springs Campground are essential, but I think they may not be enough. I think increasing the enlargement would be helpful. However, an even better option would be to build an all new campground a little northwest of the current campground. This would be in plantation land but could host a lot more campers. A trail could connect the campgrounds and would facilitate campers accessing the McBride trailhead across the road. As it is now, with such great access to the network, the additions to the current campground could be quickly outpaced by the number of mountain bikers wanting to camp and then hit the trail.
  • It would also be a neat feature to include one or two backcountry campgrounds. This could be placed at the upper end of the Lower Big Mountain Zone (as well as other spots) and allow mountain bikers or hikers to camp in remote areas while enjoying the trails. The lower elevation of these areas would also mean that early season overnighters would be possible right outside of town.
  • As noted there are a lot trails specifically designed for mountain bikers. I have no problem with this for a variety of reasons. However even just a couple of hiker-only trails would be a nice feature. One particularly good option would be to have a path travel the length of Cascade Gulch in the Community Zone. This would allow hikers to make a great loop and would include a beautiful, interesting area to the hike. Of course, bikers who ride the informal trail through there might object…
  • In a similar vein, there has been some discussion of incorporating the South Sisson Trail into the Gateway Phase II expansion. This route was the original trail by which climbers would ascend from Mount Shasta City to Horse Camp and then to the summit beyond. This trail was abandoned after the construction and paving of the Everitt Memorial Highway. However, much of the trail was still extant. It remained dormant until motivated hikers have improved the trail and it can once again be hiked up to connect to the Sand Flat trailhead and then on to Horse Camp.

The South Sisson Trail, highlighted on the 1935 USGS topo map for Mount Shasta.

What is proposed now is including the already (unofficially) restored trail in the EIR and NEPA process and then including it in the Phase II expansion as an official part of the trail network on Mount Shasta. I am completely in favor of this. This would effectively link the entire Gateway network, as well as the town of Mount Shasta City, to many of the trails that lie high up at the treeline. My proposed (and also unofficially constructed) addition of a trail connecting Bunny Flat with the Old Ski Bowl would further link the whole area. It would be an incredible set of trails, of true national park caliber scope and scenery!

In summary, I think the Gateway Phase II expansion project is an incredible addition to the Mount Shasta area. It will benefit the community though an increase in tourism and will likely put the area “on the map” as far as mountain biking goes. Even if no new hiker-specific trails are constructed, it will serve to shift mountain biking use off of trails like the Sisson-Callahan and McCloud River Trails and onto the Gateway network. For hikers, it still holds some excellent opportunities to enjoy the lower slopes of Mount Shasta.

For those looking to comment on this project, Comments can be emailed to comments-pacificsw-shasta-trinity-mtshasta-mccloud@fs.fed.us

I am also very interested to see everyone’s thoughts on this project. Please feel free to leave comments on this review!

Lastly, I want to close with a few images of vistas found around the proposed areas of the Phase II expansion. It is exciting to contemplate…

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An Unusual Mount Shasta Sunrise, With Shadows And Clouds

Posted by bubbasuess on February 11, 2018
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Lenticular Clouds, Mount Shasta. 3 Comments

Dawn’s light illuminates the fringes of a Mount Shasta lenticular.

I was up early prepping some material for a class I am teaching at church, as well as putting the finishing touches on my Gateway Trail Phase II review, when I noticed the clouds where of such a nature and position to produce a sunrise shadow. These are among my favorite phenomena. I hopped in the car and headed north, which is usually the best orientation from which to enjoy the shadows. Little did I know that the mountain also boasted a nice lenticular crown. I raced to one of my easy-to-get-to spots and and set up my camera as the morning light really began to hit the clouds.

As I endured the frigid morning (the car said 23) I watched the color get more intense and light up the clouds above Mount Shasta. Soon the edges of the lenticular itself were glowing. It was a gorgeous sight, which I enjoyed in the solitude of the dawn. The lenticular began as a classic disk, but as the color intensified, it lost some of its well-defined edges as it expanded. Nonetheless, the change in shape was not disappointing as it retained a pleasing form and the summit of Mount Shasta just poked through the cloud and caught the morning light.

In the midst of this, the sun finally reached a position where its light was cast at the angle necessary to create a shadow. Frustratingly, there were no clouds positioned immediately above Mount Shasta, so the shadow was not as readily observed. However, there were clouds higher up for the shadow to manifest. This, coupled with the lenticular, was an awesome sight and made for a truly beautiful morning. However, the cloud cover was thicker than ideal and the sun’s light was quickly obscured before the full sky was illuminated and the colors were lost. I was glad to have seen the fleeting event.

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We may not be getting much snow, but there sure has been a lot of spectacular activity around the mountain lately!

So This Happened In Mount Shasta

Posted by bubbasuess on February 9, 2018
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Lenticular Clouds, Mount Shasta. 3 Comments

Incredible lenticular stacks form near Mount Shasta.

Once again, Mount Shasta was up to its tricks, disrupting changing weather systems and causing massive lenticular displays to form overhead. As the autumn and winter have unfolded, what started off as a slow lenticular season has suddenly turned in a really remarkable series of lenticular displays. Those of February 9th will certainly rate among the more exciting and elaborate collection of clouds I have seen around Mount Shasta. The form of the clouds was in constant flux but for much of the day, the disks grew in multiple stacks just south of the mountain. If there was anything to complain about in the midst of such a singular and staggering display it was that the lenticulars cast their shadow on Mount Shasta, rendering the mountain dark amidst harsh, glaring light. Nonetheless, the spectacular nature of the clouds demanded I stop numerous times during the day to capture their awesome nature.

I have two lengthy posts in the works, so I will keep this one short and put up the pictures. I think they speak for themselves.

Click to enlarge: