Recreation in and around Mt. Shasta
Backcountry Skiing & Snowboarding
Experienced back country skiers will find Mt. Shasta an exceptional adventure. Lucky are the backcountry adventurers to have a paved road leading directly to a trailhead at 7,000 foot. The trailhead Bunny Flat offers an easy access to the high backcountry. The thrill is not only climbing Mt. Shasta, but skiing or snowboarding steeply down. Alpinists who used to seek first ascents throughout the world are now seeking first descents as well.
Mt. Shasta is not the only backcountry attraction our area has to offer. Many surrounding mountains afford similar solitary adventures. The Mt. Eddys are a popular place to board or ski as well as Scott Mountain and over towards Cecilville. Backcountry gives you a feeling of isolation you can be off by yourselves and think thoughts without being part of a large group.
Methods
There are a multitude of ways to climb into backcountry and ski or snowboard back down.
If you are a snowboarder, you can either put the board on your pack and climb with snowshoes, or you can use a split-board that becomes skis for the climb up, and transforms into a board for the trip down.
Skiers ascend by attaching adhesive climbing skins to the base of their skis, then easily remove them for the ride down.
Typical trip is to arrive at Bunny Flat early in the morning, climb to Lake Helen or Powder Bowl, and dig a pit to check for avalanche danger. If the area is safe then ski or snowboard down. Best time for backcountry skiing and boarding is in the spring, but intrepid adventures manage to access backcountry year-round.
Guides and Equipment
Headwaters Outdoor School
105 East Lake St., Mt. Shasta, CA 96067
831-423-3830
Headwaters outdoor school teaches primitive earth skills to help people build a personal relationship with nature. We offer a variety of classes such as wilderness skills, bow and arrow making, vision quest, wild edible plants, nature awareness, boy's rites of passage, earth philisophy and the winter class. Beginners as well as experience students are welcome in all classes.
Mt. Shasta Nordic Ski Organization
Ski Park Highway, Mt. Shasta, CA 96067
530-926-2142
Nordic ski and snowshoe trails open 7 days a week during the winter season.
Shasta Base Camp
316 Chestnut St., Mt. Shasta, CA 96067
530-926-2359
The core of mountain culture and the beginning of every adventure. Shasta Base Camp... mountaineering, and backcountry supply shop in Mount Shasta, CA. Information available on backcountry locations and conditions on Mount Shasta and in Siskiyou County.
Shasta Mountain Guides
Mt. Shasta, CA 96067
530-926-3117
Shasta Vortex Adventures
400 Chestnut Street, Mt. Shasta, CA 96067
530-926-4326
Local guided tours – all seasons – hiking, snowshoeing, backcountry skiing, vehicle tours; Sacred Site Treks; Vision Quests; Around the Mountain Driving Tour; Geology Tours. Integrative HealthCare – Hypnotherapy, Soul Retrieval with Ashalyn; Transformational Massage; Alternative Healthcare products.
Sportsmen's Den
402 N. Mt. Shasta Blvd., Mt. Shasta, CA 96067
530-926-2295
Sporting goods, athletic shoes, clothing, hunting and fishing gear. Ski and snowboard rentals. Area's #1 snowboard shop carrying Burton, Rome, Lib Tech, GNU and more!
SWS Mountain Guides
210 E. Lake Street, Mt. Shasta, CA 96067
530-926-6003
The Fifth Season
301 N. Mt. Shasta Blvd., Mt. Shasta, CA 96067
530-926-3606
For more than 20 years The Fifth Season has been headquarters for skiers, climbers and snowboarders exploring Mt. Shasta. The Fifth Season offers a complete selection of the finest mountaineering and ski gear as well as the most current rental and demo equipment for Mt. Shasta adventures.