Mount Shasta

Normal caution is advised. Notable hazards include widespread variable surfaces and rock/icefall at upper elevations on Mount Shasta. Assess previous wind drifts in the alpine for any signs of instability. If you intend to travel high on the mountain, ensure your skillset is appropriate to your objective. A full mountaineering kit and strong self-arrest skills are essential.

Despite the recent bout of stable weather, winter conditions prevail on Mount Shasta. Mountaineering this time of year carries a higher level of risk and should only be attempted by those with proper training and experience. Currently, many high elevation features are coated in rime ice that could shed at any time. Minimize your exposure beneath these areas and remain vigilant for anything coming down from above. Steep slopes also harbor slide for life conditions. A full mountaineering kit is required: 12-point crampons, an ice axe, and helmet, and the skills to use them proficiently. With increased cloud coverage today, monitor for any signs of a lowering ceiling which could impact visibility on the upper mountain. 

All recent observations point to a snowpack that is growing increasingly stable. Exercise caution where blowing snow is observed or old wind deposits are present above treeline. In extreme terrain, small avalanches can be consequential. Reconsider your travel plan if you observe signs of instability, such as shooting cracks.

Snow surfaces throughout the forecast zone are best described as variable, including widespread crusts, wind texture and dry, moist, or springlike melt-freeze snow. In certain situations, this variability can pose a hazard, especially where surfaces change abruptly. For example, unexpectedly moving from a supportable surface to a breakable crust. Cloud coverage today may also minimize snow surface softening, even on solar aspects near treeline. Mount Shasta holds the deepest snowpack in the zone with shallower depths in the Eddy Mountains and Castle Lake area. Bunny Flat provides the best access for winter recreation. 

MSAC's 6th annual virtual silent auction is now live. You can check out the items available here. They will also be shown at the Snow Ball this Saturday!