Mt. Shasta - clear creek route

[XrunclimbskiX]

I have been living in the Bay Area for the last year and am moving back to Colorado in two weeks! I cannot wait. One thing that I didn't scratch off the to do list while I was here was Shasta. So I am climbing on Thursday via the Clear Creek route. I have chosen this route due to me wanting a non-snow route. With that said, with the infinite knowledge of climbing on this site, anyone been up there recently that has any beta that I can use? Any help, including advice would be appreciated.

-Graham

[boudreaux]

While it's been since 2012, Clear Creek is a nice trail all the way. You climb through a nice forest to the spring at treeline. The spring is a good place to fill up and it's cold and clear! From there it hugs a non-descript ridge and then above that it switchbacks towards the summit. Once near the large rubber duckie looking rock, I lost the trail, but the trail actually ascends gently to the left through a boulder field to the top of a ridge. Straightforward to the summit and go left of the summit block onto the edge of the glacier, and skirt around left some more to another slope and then turn right and up to the summit. It's a very dusty trail, nothing grows up there, so the dust will be flying if it gets windy. I kinda thought it was like a giant Grays Peak, but the glaciers at the top were amazing! I did it in Sept with zero snow on the slopes, don't know what it looks like in June though! Reaching the TH was not hard even in a small Honda! I wrote a TR, see my profile for it.

Shasta Ranger Station 530-926-4511
Shasta Avy Report 530-926-9613
5th Season (climbing and ski report, 24 hr recorded message) 530-930-5555, local gear and guide shop in Shasta, CA

[sstratta]

Hi Graham,
If you end up climbing it this Thursday would you mind posting or sending me any pics you get of the other routes on the mountain? Especially pictures of current snow coverage. I'm heading to Shasta this weekend, not sure which route I'm doing though. Thanks!
- Sarah

[Keelintime]

We climbed Shasta via. the CC route on memorial day weekend this year. exactly 4 weeks ago now, gorgeous route, had a great time. Hiked in to treeline, about three miles, made camp, summited the next day (big day, 5700 vertical). We had good climbing snow the entire way from camp to the summit, made for easy climbing, unfortunately I would assume most of this is gone for you, so you'll have lots of scree, but gentle slopes at least. Glissaded most of the way down, we estimated over 4000 vertical of the 5700, made for 1.5 hours total descent, tons of fun!

Shasta was the highlight of the year for us, so far!

BTW: The next day we headed over and climbed Lassen peak; what a gem! Until then I hadn't even heard of this peak or National Park. If you have time, stop by and check this one out! only a 10'er, but gorgeous. You can see Lassen from Shasta (and of course, vice-versa).

[climbing_rob]

Woops, that last shasta post was me, not Keelintime; he's a pal visiting, was logged into my computer....

[Steve Nicholls]

That totally confused me....
I would agree - highlight of the year so far.

[XrunclimbskiX]

Thanks, everybody. Sarah, I will don't best to get a post up of current conditions on Friday.

[XrunclimbskiX]

We got weathered out at 11.000 feet. Bad visibility and sleet/snow. We couldn't see much so I don't have much beta. I am having trouble uploading pics from my phone PM me and I can send you a couple.