4 day Mt. Shasta Ski Mountaineering Seminar

Mt Shasta, California - 14,179 ft

Seminar Overview

This ski and board expedition will explore what Mt. Shasta is famous for: Big lines of endless spring skiing and riding. We plan to make our basecamp in Hidden Valley, a high alpine cirque surrounded by ski terrain to suit any appetite. With big objectives to ski both the West Face Gully of Mt. Shasta and the south face of Shastina, reaching the summits of 2 classic Cascade volcanoes. This is a North American ski bucket list trip and one to satisfy those with a desire for big vertical and endless turns in stunning terrain.

We will spend time reviewing ski mountaineering skills including:

  • Ice axe and crampon use

  • Ice axe self-arrest

  • Snow climbing and skinning technique

  • Basic rope travel

  • Avalanche Awareness

  • Transceiver Practice

In this Seminar, we aim to create personal connections with Mt. Shasta and build lasting connections to your new snow sliding community.

We bring over 40 years of experience guiding on Mount Shasta and are the original guiding company for this special mountain. We know Shasta better than anyone and aim to provide a professional and positive experience for all climbers.

    • No mountaineering experience is required.

    • Guests should have advanced to expert downhill ability in all conditions, and previous experience with backcountry ski touring and skiing.

    • Must be in excellent physical condition to consider these multiple objectives

    Climbing Mt Shasta is strenuous. For the best chances of summiting please train ahead of time. Feel free to contact us for any training recommendations. Check out our training page to get started.

  • All dates are subject to route change in the event of adverse conditions.

    • April 19-22

    • May 3-6

    • May 24-27

  • $1795 per person

    INCLUDES

    • Professional instruction and mountain guiding with a guide-to-client summit-day ratio of 1:3

    • Breakfast & dinner while in the backcountry.

    • All Group camping equipment such as tents and cooking equipment.

    • Mt. Shasta summit passes

    ** Ski equipment is not included but rentals are available in the town of Mt. Shasta.

The difference is in our guides

The Shasta Mountain Guides® staff is a diverse, skilled, and fun group of individuals. Their common bond is a pure passion for being in the mountains and sharing that desire with friends, both old and new. We strongly believe in providing the highest level of service and quality of experience while climbing Mt. Shasta.

We are local professionals and are committed to your safety and enjoyment. SMG is the original guide service on Mt. Shasta and we are on the mountain daily. We specialize in Mount Shasta and the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. When you climb with us, your trip is supported by our collective experience and knowledge of the mountain.

Our combined experience includes thousands of Shasta summits and many years spent on the mountain. Together we’ve explored all its’ routes during all conditions and seasons. Join us for a trip of your lifetime!

Planned ITINERARY

Day 1
8:00am | Meet guides and group at SMG shop 305 Chestnut St Mt. Shasta. We will conduct a thorough gear check and distribute group equipment. Plan to add 8-10 pounds of group gear to your personal kit; this includes food and tents.

10:00am | Drive to the Bunny Flat trailhead (6,950’) for a group briefing and start the approach to base camp in Hidden Valley (9,200’)

2:00pm | At base camp your group will set up camp, snack on trail food and prepare for a light ski tour or afternoon skills session

5:00pm | Return to camp for an early dinner and evening briefing.

Day 2
7:00am | Wake-up, hot breakfast, and pack for day tour and skills clinics.

9:00am-2:00pm | We will tour on the lower flanks of the mountain looking for the best ski terrain and conditions while refining our ski mountaineering techniques

2:00-5:00pm | We will continue with an additional skills session and advanced training and review at camp while we rehydrate and prepeare for the big days ahead.

5:00-7:00pm | Dinner and climb briefing

Day 3
Shastina Summit Climb | Alpine Start | Shastina South Face. Depending on our team abilities, weather, and route conditions we will begin our climb between 3:00am-4:00am.

Turn around time | For safety purposes, our turn around time on the mountain may be as early as 11:00 am-12:00 pm. We use these time frames to avoid hazards such as well as optimize ski conditions. Sometimes we may delay our descent to wait for softening of the snow surface, every day is different and we’ll use our experience to judge best conditions.

Back at base camp the team will rest, hydrate, and prepare for the next big ski line.

Day 4

Shasta Summit Climb | Alpine Start | Shasta West Face. Depending on our team abilities, weather, and route conditions we will begin our climb between 2:00-3:00am.

Turn around time | For safety purposes, our turn around time on the mountain may be as early as 11:00 am-12:00 pm. We use these time frames to avoid hazards such as well as optimize ski conditions. Sometimes we may delay our descent to wait for softening of the snow surface, every day is different and we’ll use our experience to judge best conditions.

Back at camp we will pack up our gear and return to the trailhead. We can expect to return between 4:00-6:00pm

* Itinerary subject to change & the summit of Mount Shasta and Shastina is subject to safe weather and snow conditions. We may chose to alter the itinerary to best serve the safety and goals of the group.

For lodging in the town of Mount Shasta before and after your trip we recommend our partners at Summit Lofts and LOGE Mt. Shasta. They offer a discount to our climbers and guests.