Mount Shasta

Your odds of triggering an avalanche today are low. Assess the snowpack for instability and practice safe travel techniques. If climbing above the treeline, crampons, ice axes, and helmets are a must to navigate the alpine and protect yourself from falling rock and rime ice.

It's Martin Luther King Jr. Day, an important day to reflect on the legacy of a true American patriot who gave his life for justice, equality, and unity. As a leader of the Civil Rights Movement and a committed devotee to nonviolence, let his example inspire us all to stand up for what’s right and work toward a more inclusive world. Remember his words: "I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."

Avalanche danger is minimal, but icy surfaces continue to challenge backcountry users. Freezing levels are on the rise, climbing from 5,000 feet this morning up to 10,000 feet by the evening. This will set us up for softer, more palatable snow surface conditions. 

There are significant hazards for climbers and skiers above 9,000 feet on Mount Shasta. A weeks-long melt-freeze cycle has created slide-for-life conditions on steep slopes, knolls, and moraines. Falling in these areas would be difficult to arrest and could result in sliding uncontrollably for hundreds of feet. Additionally, ice fall is a growing hazard as rock outcrops like Casaval Ridge, Red Banks, Sargents Ridge, and Trinity Chutes continue to shed ice.

If you're climbing or skiing on the upper mountain, remember to bring crampons, an ice axe (or two), and a helmet. Even steep slopes below 9,000 feet will be dangerous in the early morning hours when the sun has not had time to soften the snow surface. Above 9,000 feet, the surface crust is so stout that it may not give way to the potent California sun. For more information on climbing, read the updated climbing advisory.