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25 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2012 : 7:58 PM
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Joel and I summited Mt. Shasta car to car on July 1, 2012.
For this trip report, I'll keep it a bit shorter than my usual ones as there really wasn't much to report on.
We started our trip as an acclimatization day hike to Helen Lake as we had just come from sea level the night before (Vancouver BC). Problem is, we simply didn't stop and eventually make it to the summit. Oops... :)
A 9:30am start form the car is not exactly what I would call a great start for a summit bid on Shasta, however the snow was great, weather was in, and sun was shinning. It is what it is.
Snow coverage was beautiful the whole way up. Zero rock fall danger right now, or avalanche concerns. You might get the odd sluff as we observed from the mountains NE slopes, but then again, we were very late in the day. The sluff were simply top layer stuff and would pose no risk at all.
The slope up to Thumb Rock is completely snow covered.
Above Thumb to Red Banks it's starting to melt out a bit, and Misery hill (well named by the way!) is starting to show signs of melt as well.
Summit block is hard packed snow, but has a boot pack trail leading you up. Summit itself was bare.
No need for crampons on this trip either. We had them with us, but they stayed in the pack.
Our total time was 13hrs, 10hrs up, 3 down. The down was made very easy due to the 3000+ FT glissade.
Since we did not properly acclimatize, this one hurt. Personally I simply had a very very bad headache, but my climbing partner started seeing things, hearing things, and blacked out for a split second feet from the summit. Needless to say, we hurried down after taking the mandatory summit pictures. My first 14,000er.
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 canine loving, machete-toting bushwhacking lake seeker, Indiana Jones hat-wearing off-road 4x4 guru
Surrey Hole, BC
Canada
6793 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2012 : 10:15 PM
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| sounds tough as a single day hike. Quite the tall shadow. |
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25 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2012 : 1:14 PM
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Was actually a pretty good day hike. If you are fit enough and can deal with the altitude change, then I would recommend it as a car to car hike in these conditions.
I could however see the need to camp out and get an early start if rock fall is a concern.
The great thing about this one is that although you are completely wiped out at the top, when you get back down to 10k, you feel rejuvenated by the increase in oxygen pressure. We weren't tired at all when we got back to the car.
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Squamish, British Columbia
Canada
1009 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2012 : 1:38 PM
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Nicely done. I'm following your FB page now.
So is K7Climbing a new guiding startup? Or is it mainly condition updates? Either way, some really nice trips you've done and have lined up for this season.
What is your background in mountaineering? Have you been doing it for a while? |
Edited by - leimrod on 07/03/2012 1:39 PM |
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Utah's canyon trekking,deck chair packing desert explorer who dreams of visiting Canada someday
3988 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2012 : 2:37 PM
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Nice pictures. I have heard over the years about Mt. Shasta being such a lady one time and a total B the next with deaths, etc. Can they even rescue with Helicopters at 14,000'?
Great hike. I would have to climatize for a week. I get Veclemped at around 7400' Even Lake Tahoe had me breathing hard and I smelled blood in my breath. Stopped hiking and went to a casino. elevation is not my friend. Acute Mtn sickness? I think it is called. So, Swiss Alps guide is not a career pursuit of mine. I would like to one day take on the calmer 13,000 peak in Nevada by the caves. Can't remember the name.
Verclemped.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDXEgBh0TF0
Congrats on your 14,000' accomplishment. wow!! |
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Happy go lucky, plaid wearin, postholin, safeway gaitor sportin, old-school film shootin, giver of many regards
Abbotsford, B.C.
Canada
13478 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2012 : 8:24 PM
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Very impressive feat, scary about how you felt at the summit.
Really like your summit shots, beautiful and cool.
K |
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Happy go lucky, plaid wearin, postholin, safeway gaitor sportin, old-school film shootin, giver of many regards
Abbotsford, B.C.
Canada
13478 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2012 : 8:25 PM
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Very impressive feat, scary about how you felt at the summit.
Really like your summit shots, beautiful and cool.
K |
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25 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2012 : 8:36 PM
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Altitude is not something you can really train for. Acclimatization is obviously a necessity for everyone, but an individual's body will react differently regardless. My climbing partner on this trip has been up to 14k before, but my max altitude prior to this was 12,300' (Mt. Adams car to car). I actually performed better than he did on this despite never being at this altitude.
Keep training, climbing, and get yourself up to altitude slowly. You will adapt.
quote:
Originally posted by Rented Mule
Nice pictures. I have heard over the years about Mt. Shasta being such a lady one time and a total B the next with deaths, etc. Can they even rescue with Helicopters at 14,000'?
Great hike. I would have to climatize for a week. I get Veclemped at around 7400' Even Lake Tahoe had me breathing hard and I smelled blood in my breath. Stopped hiking and went to a casino. elevation is not my friend. Acute Mtn sickness? I think it is called. So, Swiss Alps guide is not a career pursuit of mine. I would like to one day take on the calmer 13,000 peak in Nevada by the caves. Can't remember the name.
Verclemped.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDXEgBh0TF0
Congrats on your 14,000' accomplishment. wow!!
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25 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2012 : 8:46 PM
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Leigh:
Saw that and thanks for liking my page. I've just started it up to basically provide an additional source of information in Western Canada (for the most part) alpine climbing. Not really sure where I'm going to be taking it to be honest.
I've been attacking peaks alpine style for 7 years now and have gotten in and out of very sticky situations up there. Most of my climbing has taken place in the Rockies out of Calgary, but I've recently relocated to Vancouver, so I'm climbing the bigger peaks out here as much as possible.
Not really looking at guiding professionally as there is ALOT of certifications required that I just don't have the time for. I'm climbing for me - how I think it should be. I love the mountains, love the challenges they present and respect they demand.
quote:
Originally posted by leimrod
Nicely done. I'm following your FB page now.
So is K7Climbing a new guiding startup? Or is it mainly condition updates? Either way, some really nice trips you've done and have lined up for this season.
What is your background in mountaineering? Have you been doing it for a while?
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Mt. Shasta July 1 (car to car)
