In June 2023 Nora and I visited spectacular Mount Shasta near the southern edge of the Cascade Range in northern California. Shasta is a monster of a compound stratovolcano formed over ~600,000 years by extruded lava and pyroclastic flows issuing from deep vents. The double-peaked, conical-shaped massif towers more than 10,000 feet above the Shasta-Trinity National Forest that surrounds it, with a summit elevation of 14,163 feet. The mountain’s upper slopes support five glaciers, including Whitney Glacier, the largest in California.
Mt. Shasta appears to be comprised of two volcanic cones, but there are four. Satellite cone Shastina (12,330 feet) – to the left in this photo – is about 10,000 years old, having developed after the most recent ice age. It last erupted 200 years ago. Geologically dormant, Mt. Shasta remains a potentially active volcano that last erupted in 1,250 AD per the Smithsonian Institute’s Global Volcanism Program, but this sleeping giant is currently quiescent. The USGS states that eruptions occur about every 600 to 800 years and future volcanic eruptions are inevitable. USGS rates its threat potential as “very high” and although we may not see this bad boy blow, humans in the future undoubtedly will.
Weather on the mountain can be severe any time of year. It’s a rock with perpetual snow. Legendary California environmentalist John Muir was an intelligent person, but the man had a penchant for putting himself in harms way while he indulged in the wrath of Mother Nature. On April 30, 1875, during an ascent to the summit of Mt. Shasta a violent storm struck, pummeling him and his companion with hail, snow and wind, and only by luck and the grace of God did they survive for him to write the tale.
Spanish colonizers never made it this far north with their hated mission system, forced conversions and slavery, but the Americans did, and they proved more destructive to Native culture. Mt. Shasta has strong cultural and spiritual significance for regional Indians. Artifacts suggest Native Americans have resided in the area for ~9,000 years. The five tribes that live within view of the volcano revere it and have incorporated the mountain into their creation myths and timeless teaching stories.Like every other California Indian tribe, arrival of Euro-Americans in the mid-19th century led to conflict and death for the First Peoples of the Klamath region. Unknown diseases introduced by Anglos, destruction of waterways due to gold mining and timber harvesting killed off vital salmon stocks, and eviction from traditional homelands nearly eliminated Indigenous inhabitants. Of the thousands of Indians that lived there pre-contact, by 1910 only about 100 remained. Sadly, First Nations not recognized by the U.S. government are called “ghost tribes.” Today surviving descendants work toward restored federal recognition and preservation of their customs and culture.Today, spiritual tourism by non-Native visitors is big business as seekers from around the world pursue their quest for connection with “angels, aliens and mystical energy” allegedly associated with the imposing mountain. But if Indigenous people recognized the power of Shasta, perhaps there is some tangible otherworldliness after all. Lenticular clouds that frequently form over the isolated, uplifted terrain in spring and fall create impressive UFO-like apparitions, which back in the day were mistakenly associated with alien spacecraft. Some refer to Shasta as the new Roswell, New Mexico, where UFO conspiracy theories abound.Mt. Shasta generates an imposing presence for residents and visitors for miles around it. At 6,950 feet, Bunny Flat is the main trailhead and route to the summit of Mt. Shasta and where the scenic Everett Memorial Highway is closed for winter. A popular launching point for cross-country skiers and snowshoers, summer attracts hikers, campers and high-altitude wildlife enthusiasts.Mount Shasta City makes for a good basecamp for those who prefer a motel to tent or RV camping. The cozy town offers a mellow vibe — unlike Tahoe — and decent restaurants. A short jaunt in the community park near Big Springs Meadow leads you to Spring Creek and the humble headwaters of the Sacramento and Shasta rivers.Snowmelt from the flanks of Mt. Shasta spawns the headwaters of the Shasta River, the McCloud River and the mighty Sacramento River, lynchpin of the Central Valley Project that provides flood protection, hydroelectric power, agricultural irrigation and municipal water supplies to vast swaths of the Golden State. Age-dating at the spring indicates that this water fell at the 8,000-foot level of Mt. Shasta more than 50 years ago. Signs warn against drinking untested water, but Nora and I witnessed a local filling large containers for consumption. Can’t stop true believers. Nearby Castle Creek State Park showcases polished granite domes and dramatic spires more than 170 million years old, the current formations etched and carved by Pleistocene glaciation of the past 12,000 years.Visitors at the Shasta Dam. During winter storms towering Mt. Shasta snatches snow and rain from moisture-rich clouds and slowly dispenses the water during spring and summer snowmelt. A classic hydrological cycle. Much of it feeds Shasta Lake. Note the die off in the forest. View of The Three Shastas.Shasta Dam and its reservoir known as Shasta Lake are huge. It was a massive federal project of hydrological superlatives, but like all dams, came with tremendous negative ecological impact. After the wet winter of 2023 water levels have rebounded.Phuket is the largest island in Thailand and a top tourist destination, but the name makes me chuckle. Apparently, I’m still a juvenile.What’s in store…for 2024? Damn! Where’s my Nevada map?
