Venturing Crew 491’s Epic Climb Up California’s Mount Shasta

Mount Shasta is a 14,162-foot monster in Northern California’s Cascade Range.

There’s a 7,000-foot elevation gain along the most popular route, and the slope gets as steep as a double-black-diamond ski trail.

The majority of the elevation push must be navigated in the early morning hours with headlamps in total darkness in the freezing cold, before the sun can weaken the ice and snow upon which you’re climbing.

Watch as Venturing Crew 491 of Glendora, Calif., tackles the summit of Mount Shasta, and then read more about their trek in the November 2011 issue of Boys’ Life magazine.

The Hike to Base Camp One

Venturing Crew 491 begins its assault on Mount Shasta. The first day begins at the parking lot at Bunny Flat. From there, the crew hikes to Base Camp One via a path called Avalanche Gulch.

The Hike to Base Camp Two

The trail gets steeper and steeper and snowier and snowier as the crew makes it way up Avalanche Gulch to Base Camp Two.

To the Summit, And Quickly Back Down

After delaying their summit attempt by one day due to extreme winds, the Crew finally makes it to the top before glissading their way back to the bottom.