Shasta: Avy Gulch / Green Butte Ridge / Guide Book?

[hikingfish]

Hi!
I've been fascinated for the last 2 weeks with Mt Shasta. I was thinking that a trip might be in order (when I finally get some vacation time that is).

I think I've extracted as much information from the web as I could and I am considering buying a guide book. I'd like to purchase a book that has more than just Mt Shasta in it and which has many routes up each mountain (not just the most popular route). I'm very visual, so plenty of pictures (with route lines) would be very appreciated. I was wondering if anyone could suggest a book? I've looked at a couple on amazon and some of the reviews really turned me off, so I wanted to ask the good people at VFTT for some advise!

Also, I was wondering if anyone had climbed Shasta on the Green Butte Ridge? From climbingmtshasta.org (I think that was the site), they say the difficulty is comparable to Avy Gulch, but should be much less travelled. Is all of this true?

Thanks!

Fish

 

[AOC]

I have several books covering Mt. Shasta. The best one for climbing routes is Climbing California's Fourteeners: The Route Guide to the Fifteen Highest Peaks (Paperback)
by Stephen F. Porcella, Cameron M. Burns. It covers many routes on all sides of the mountain and has good photos.

Green Butte Ridge is a non-technical route that might be just a tad steeper than Avalanche Gulch. It joins the AG route above Thumb Rock. I met a climber on the summit in June who had soloed Green Butte Ridge from Bunny Flat and he reported seeing no one on the lower part of the route that morning (a Thursday).

 

[hikingfish]

Wow, that's awesome. Having the mountain to yourself.

I saw pictures of camp sites at Helen Lake and there were wayyy too many tents there. In one picture, I must of seen something like 30 pitched tents.

That being said, should I plan a trip, I would plan to go on Green Butte Ridge, but still keep AG in mind should there be sustained strong winds.

Thanks for your book reference! I was wondering, do they also provide good suggestions on camp sites as well?

Thanks!

Fish

 

[AOC]

I think that might be the trade-off with Green Butte Ridge; there isn't an established, sheltered camp spot on the route. Most people do it in a day from Bunny Flat.

For solitude, consider the north side routes on the mountain. Here's a link to my trip report from earlier this summer:
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=7628

 

[hikingfish]

Pictures?

I'd be very interested in seeing pictures if you have some available on the net. You can PM if you want!

Fish

 

[giggy]

I am looking into shasta for this summer. I think there is a book called "climbing Mount shasta" or something.

I always find summitpost.com to be very useful as well - good pix, trip reports, ect.. but generally good for popular routes it seems.

if I could find the right people - would like to try casaval ridge. If anyone has done that route - I would love to hear about it.

 

[AOC]

Here's a few:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a298/aoc77/shasta-descent.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a298/aoc77/shasta-moon.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a298/aoc77/shasta-sunset.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a298/aoc77/shasta-sunrise.jpg

 

[anita514]

casaval ridge is best in spring when there is still lots of snow
by mid-july, it's a no-go

hikingfish: try the climbing mt. shasta book. it's pretty good and has descriptions of all the routes+ a map. also check out www.summitpost.org - lots of trip reports/pics of all the various routes up shasta

 

[hikingfish]

I'll check out that book!

http://www.siskiyous.edu/shasta/out/cli/virtual.htm

I found some drawings of Shasta's faces with routes drawn over it. PM me if you want me to send you the pics. I don't remember from which site I got them from.

Fish