3 day Casaval Ridge Climb

Mt Shasta, California - 14,179 ft

Climb Overview

This is the classic alpine ridge climb on Mt. Shasta for winter and spring ascents. Dramatic rock spires and steep, exposed climbing make for a challenging and technical ascent. This route is for experienced climbers who want a more challenging route to the summit. Best in winter and spring as this climb requires ample snow and fitness for ideal climbing.

This route requires previous mountaineering experience and is for strong climbers who want an early season challenging route to the summit. Suitable experience would include successful previous ascents on Shasta like the West Face or Hotlum-Bolam Ridge; any route on Mt Rainier or the Grand Teton; multiple Cascade and Sierra peaks

Contact us to see if you qualify.

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.

    • Prior experience and strong physical ability are required.

    • Suitable experience would include successful previous ascents on Shasta like Avalanche Gulch, the West Face or Hotlum-Bolam Ridge; any route on Mt Rainier or the Grand Teton; a technical route on Mt Whitney like the East Face or East Buttress; or similar. Contact us to see if you qualify.

    • Must be in good physical condition and training diligently for the challenge. Proper conditioning and preparation are crucial to summit success.

    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.

    • Casaval Ridge available by custom booking to experienced parties. Contact us for details

    • April 19-21 May 3-5 2024

  • $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

    ** Boots are 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!

Casaval ITINERARY

Day 1 Meet and basecamp approach
8:00 am | Meet guides and group at the SMG Shop located at 305 Chestnut St. Please be punctual to allow time for gear check and packing, and a group briefing. Please note; your guides will do a thorough gear check and pass out group gear before packing your backpack. We recommend that you reserve any rental equipment through the Fifth Season in advance: 530-926-3606

10:00am-2:30pm | Drive to the Bunny Flat trailhead (6,950’) for a group briefing and start the approach to base camp. Depending on weather and route conditions, the moderate/ low angle approach to base camp may take anywhere from 3 to 5 hours. Distance: 2 miles, Vertical gain: 2,000’

2:30pm-5:00pm | At base camp your group will set up camp, snack on trail food, review mountain skills, and prepare for an early dinner and bedtime.

5:00pm-6:00pm | dinner and evening briefing for the planned summit attempt

Day 2 Summit Climb
Alpine Start | Depending on our team abilities, weather, and route conditions we will begin our climb between 2:00- 3:00am. Distance: ~2 miles (one way) Vertical Gain 5,000’

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 rock fall and afternoon storms. Depending on route conditions, the descent back to camp may take 2.5-4.5 hours.

5:00-7:00pm | Dinner and tall tales

Day 3 Return to trailhead
We will wake at our leisure, pack up camp, and make the return hike to the trailhead. We can expect to be back in town between 11:00am-1:00pm

* Itinerary subject to change & the summit of Mount Shasta is subject to safe weather and snow conditions.

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.