AlexeyD wrote:
If that's the case, perhaps they should clarify their position and recommendations, and clear up what are obviously different interpretations of what they meant by the OP vs. others in this thread.
Also, FWIW, having climbed Mt. Shasta several times by several routes (as well as many, many other snow/ice/mountaineering routes), and without repeating a lot of what has already been said, I'm going to add a +1 to Scott's comments. Nothing personal, but I agree that I'm less concerned with people's feelings than their safety.
I appreciate the input and am not worried about the feelings. That is why I asked the question. I want to hear the good, bad, and ugly as I want to get good advice.
I don't think there is anything to clarify. Its not as if they recommended we go out alone and on our own no matter what the situation or condition. That is what it seems John took my comments by, but that is not what I meant to imply. Without going into every detail, we talked for quite awhile about various topics. We discussed various route options for that time of year, the current and forecasted snow conditions, safety course through the American Avalanche Association, and then ultimately I asked for their opinion on whether or not they thought we would be fine on Casaval Ridge that time of the year if we decided to go without a guide.
Again, they by no means acted as if it was no big deal, as they recommended we opt for a guided option. However, the gentleman I spoke with also thought that we had a very broad range of experience in every other type of backpacking/hiking/mountaineering/canyoneering all over the US, that it would put us in a good position to plan for the climb with the right equipment, mentality, and preperation. I understand this is a snow climb, but all of those other skills and experience do indeed play into account. (My experience backcountry snowboarding Copper and A basin certainly helps with similar knowledge of Avalanche safety. My buddies experience that he spends backcountry Skiing every weekend just south of Mt. Shasta right now certainly helps with understanding snow safety and the cascades. At some point in the thread it was noted that neither of us have ANY experience at all. That couldn't be further from the truth. We just simply haven't climbed on snow and ice, YET. We've both spent a lot of time in high altitude. We've both spent a ton of time backcountry skiing/snowboarding, we've both snowshoed long miles, used crampons, ice axes, and have avalanche safety knowledge. I've backpacked all over the United States in the Appalachians, Rockies, Sierras, Cascades, and Whites. I've summited many 14ers in the U.S. We are both in excellent physical shape. We just don't have technical rope experience and have not summited a snow packed 14er, YET.) That certainly doesn't justify use making this particular ascent, as it sounds by everyone's recommendations that this is not a good route to take for us, but it also does not imply that a company recommended two idiots that know nothing about the outdoors and mountaineering to venture out on to Mt. Shasta and attempt a climb they have no business even thinking about.
They were extremely helpful in setting the ground work for researching Mt. Shasta for me. I'm not sure why this got turned to the guiding company, but they have been extremely helpful and professional as has The Fifth Season.
