Mt Shasta Summit & Ski Descent 3 Day

Summit and ski 14,179' Mt Shasta with 2 nights & 3 days in the field. This is our most popular Shasta ski mountaineering trip on the largest stratovolcano in the Cascades & includes ski mountaineering skills. We choose from Avalanche Gulch, West Face, Brewer Creek, Clear Creek.
Overview
Itinerary
Prerequisites
Inclusions
Gear

We'll tackle the following objectives and skills:

  • Push Your Limits - Take your backcountry skiing to the next level on this giant Cascades volcano!

  • Routes - We offer trips up and down multiple routes including Avalanche Gulch, West Face, Brewer Creek, Clear Creek. Your guides will choose the best route based on weather, climbing conditions and skiing conditions.

  • Ski Mountaineering Skills Review - Including crampons, ice axe arrest and glacier rope travel

  • Summit Attempt - This will be a long day, gaining over 4,000’ of elevation over various snow surfaces and steep slopes.

  • Ski Descent - Once we reach our high point, we’ll descend the route and ski the variations holding the best snow, racking up over 6,000' of vertical!

Here's the schedule for your trip:

  • Day 1 - Arrival & Tour to Camp - 8:00 am meetup with your guide in town. We'll do a quick gear check and review the plan for the day. Your guide will discuss the route up to camp and we'll make any final adjustments before we caravan to the trailhead. The rest of the day will be spent touring to camp and learning about camp craft.

  • Day 2 - Ski Mountaineering Skills Training - We'll get an early start on the day, having breakfast with hot coffee or tea, and prepare any food for the day before gearing up and heading out. In this course we'll cover:
    • Ski Mountaineering Gear
    • Ice Axe Techniques including Self Arrest and
    • Team Arrest (for Glacier Travel)
    • Crampon Techniques
    • Mountaineering efficiency including the Rest Step
    • Descending techniques for mountaineering
    • Basics of rope team travel
    In the evening, we'll prepare an early dinner and head to bed
  • Day 3 -Summit Attempt 3:00-5:00am quick breakfast followed by an early alpine start. Your guides will set the start time based on warming for the day and the weather forecast. Prepare for a long day, where we gaining over 4,000’ of elevation over various snow surfaces and steep slopes. Once we reach our high point, we’ll descend the route and ski the zones holding the best snow! We’ll break down camp, pack up our bags, and descend to the trailhead.

Here are the skills and fitness you'll need for your course:

  • Expert Resort Riding Skills - Including steep and consequential off-piste terrain in challenging snow conditions.

  • Intermediate Touring Experience - Including efficient gear management and skinning, transition technique, with 20+ days of backcountry experience.

  • Basic Ski Mountaineering Skills - Including ice axe, crampon, and basic rope skills are encouraged, but not required. Build those skills during the program or attend our Ski Mountaineering Skills course prior to attending and spend more time climbing and skiing on Day 2

  • Strong Fitness - Able to spend a long, active day outside, moving uphill at 1,000’ per hour for durations of 1-1.5 hours between breaks. Participants should be able to hike 8-10 miles, climbing 2,500 - 3,500 vertical feet throughout the course of the day. People with strong fitness typically have a strenuous workout 3-4 days a week.

Here's what's included with your trip:

  • Experienced AMGA Trained Guide
  • Ropes & Gear - for ski mountaineering training
  • Tent
  • Stove & Fuel
  • Group Safety Gear - your guide will be equipped with snow science tools and a first aid kit
  • Wag Bags - for human waste disposal in with compliance 'Leave No Trace' principles
Not Included
  • Meals
  • Ski/Splitboard Gear
  • Avalanche Gear
  • Ice Axe, Crampons, Climbing Harness
  • Guide Gratuities

Shasta Ski Mountaineering Gear List


Know Before you go

SKILL LEVELIntermediate Advanced
ELEVATION7,000’-14,179’
LocationMt Shasta

Price $1,495.00
Private Programs
Duration: 3 Days
View Full Itinerary
Private Programs

Blackbird Mountain Guides offers both scheduled group programs and private programs.

Private programs are simply above and beyond what Blackbird Mountain Guides currently has scheduled. Scheduled courses are not always less expensive. Before booking a trip with Blackbird Mountain Guides, clients are encouraged to review the differences between these types of programs, and to decide what works best for them.

SCHEDULED PROGRAMS

Scheduled Programs have fixed dates, itineraries, objectives, curriculum, and costs. They typically appeal to solo individuals or small groups or who are looking to share the cost of their program with a larger group. Correspondingly, scheduled programs are less expensive for smaller groups (1-2), and they provide the opportunity to meet others with similar interests. If you have a large group (3+), Scheduled programs will often be more expensive. They can fill up quickly, and scheduling flexibility is obviously limited.

Scheduled programs will have advertised dates. All scheduled programs can be run as private programs with private dates/rates as well.

PRIVATE PROGRAMS

Private programs have scheduling freedom. They typically appeal to those who would like some flexibility in planning their own trip or course. In this regard, Itineraries and objectives can be tailored to suit current conditions as well as client goals. Private programs are normally less expensive for larger groups (3+). If you have a small group (1-2) private programs will be more expensive.

Contact us
Full Itinerary

Day 1

8:00 am  Meet your guide at the in town.  We'll do a quick gear check and review the plan for the day. The guide will discuss the route up to camp and we'll make any last minute adjustments needed.  Caravan to the trailhead.

 

The rest of the day will be spent ascending to camp and building camp where you will learn about camp craft.

 

Day 2

Snow School

In this program we'll cover:

  • Ski Mountaineering Gear
  • Ice Axe Techniques including Self Arrest and Team Arrest (for Glacier Travel)
  • Crampon Techniques
  • Mountaineering efficiency including the Rest Step
  • Descending techniques for mountaineering
  • Basics of rope team travel

Early dinner and bed

 

Day 3

Alpine Start.  Your guides will set the time based on warming for the day and the weather forecast.

Summit Attempt. This will be a long day, gaining over 4,000’ of elevation over various snow surfaces and steep slopes.

Ski Descent. Once we reach our high point, we’ll descend the route and ski the variations holding the best snow!

 

Pack Up Camp and Return to Trailhead. We’ll break down camp, pack up our bags and descend to the trailhead. 

We'll tackle the following objectives and skills:

  • Push Your Limits - Take your backcountry skiing to the next level on this giant Cascades volcano!

  • Routes - We offer trips up and down multiple routes including Avalanche Gulch, West Face, Brewer Creek, Clear Creek. Your guides will choose the best route based on weather, climbing conditions and skiing conditions.

  • Ski Mountaineering Skills Review - Including crampons, ice axe arrest and glacier rope travel

  • Summit Attempt - This will be a long day, gaining over 4,000’ of elevation over various snow surfaces and steep slopes.

  • Ski Descent - Once we reach our high point, we’ll descend the route and ski the variations holding the best snow, racking up over 6,000' of vertical!

Here's the schedule for your trip:

  • Day 1 - Arrival & Tour to Camp - 8:00 am meetup with your guide in town. We'll do a quick gear check and review the plan for the day. Your guide will discuss the route up to camp and we'll make any final adjustments before we caravan to the trailhead. The rest of the day will be spent touring to camp and learning about camp craft.

  • Day 2 - Ski Mountaineering Skills Training - We'll get an early start on the day, having breakfast with hot coffee or tea, and prepare any food for the day before gearing up and heading out. In this course we'll cover:
    • Ski Mountaineering Gear
    • Ice Axe Techniques including Self Arrest and
    • Team Arrest (for Glacier Travel)
    • Crampon Techniques
    • Mountaineering efficiency including the Rest Step
    • Descending techniques for mountaineering
    • Basics of rope team travel
    In the evening, we'll prepare an early dinner and head to bed
  • Day 3 -Summit Attempt 3:00-5:00am quick breakfast followed by an early alpine start. Your guides will set the start time based on warming for the day and the weather forecast. Prepare for a long day, where we gaining over 4,000’ of elevation over various snow surfaces and steep slopes. Once we reach our high point, we’ll descend the route and ski the zones holding the best snow! We’ll break down camp, pack up our bags, and descend to the trailhead.

Here are the skills and fitness you'll need for your course:

  • Expert Resort Riding Skills - Including steep and consequential off-piste terrain in challenging snow conditions.

  • Intermediate Touring Experience - Including efficient gear management and skinning, transition technique, with 20+ days of backcountry experience.

  • Basic Ski Mountaineering Skills - Including ice axe, crampon, and basic rope skills are encouraged, but not required. Build those skills during the program or attend our Ski Mountaineering Skills course prior to attending and spend more time climbing and skiing on Day 2

  • Strong Fitness - Able to spend a long, active day outside, moving uphill at 1,000’ per hour for durations of 1-1.5 hours between breaks. Participants should be able to hike 8-10 miles, climbing 2,500 - 3,500 vertical feet throughout the course of the day. People with strong fitness typically have a strenuous workout 3-4 days a week.

Here's what's included with your trip:

  • Experienced AMGA Trained Guide
  • Ropes & Gear - for ski mountaineering training
  • Tent
  • Stove & Fuel
  • Group Safety Gear - your guide will be equipped with snow science tools and a first aid kit
  • Wag Bags - for human waste disposal in with compliance 'Leave No Trace' principles
Not Included
  • Meals
  • Ski/Splitboard Gear
  • Avalanche Gear
  • Ice Axe, Crampons, Climbing Harness
  • Guide Gratuities

Shasta Ski Mountaineering Gear List

Epic Reviews From Adventurers

8 reviews
  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Highly recommend skiing Mt Shasta with Blackbird!

    I highly recommend skiing Mt. Shasta with Zeb and Blackbird (or signing up for any of the company’s other trips and courses). Zeb has mastered his craft, balancing instruction, safety, and fun with the social intuition that only the best guides manage. And Blackbird is the kind of company that knows your first name when you call them. They offer really fun trips and well-planned versions of the usual skills clinics/courses (lift accessed avy rescue). Again, I highly recommend.

    Ted D.
    Flag of United States
  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Amazing experience climbing Mt Shasta!

    I had an amazing experience climbing Mt Shasta with Blackbird! This was my first mountaineering experience, so I came into it with a limited skill set. My guide, Jason, was incredibly knowledgeable and patient with my rookie mountaineering skill level. He took the time to teach me all the necessary skills and made sure I practiced and felt comfortable with these prior to summit day. The trip was over Memorial Day weekend, so I was expecting quite a crowd on the mountain. Prior to leaving town, Jason suggested an alternate route that would be slightly steeper, but less crowded than the traditional route most climbers would be taking. This was possibly the best decision of the weekend, as the route we took was totally deserted! It felt like we had the whole mountain to ourselves, and really made the climb even better. All in all, this trip was incredible and I can't wait for the next one! I'll definitely be using Blackbird again for future trips

    Hanna H.
    Flag of United States
  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Excellent guide, couldn't be happier!

    Fantastic Trip. Good office communication, excellent guide who was continuously sharing tidbits of information about the mountain and technique. Couldn't be happier with the experience

    John M.
    Flag of United States
  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    So much knowledge - an amazing learning experience!

    Blackbird is who I trust to guide me up and down a mountain safely, and to have a great time doing so. Spending time on Shasta with Zeb was an amazing learning experience. He has so much knowledge to share about all aspects of the experience. And I really appreciated his ability to adjust the plans for all sorts of changing circumstances to continue to maximize the experience. I'm looking forward to my next adventure with Blackbird Mountain Guides. Thanks again!

    Chris S.
    Flag of United States
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