Mt Shasta Summit & Ski Descent Private

A Private guided option for a Mt Shasta summit and ski descent, this program is custom built for your team. 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. Ski Mount Shasta with us this season!
Skier making a turn on Mt Shasta in California during a Blackbird Guides Summit & Ski 3 Day trip
Skier making a turn on Mt Shasta in California
Sunset on Mt Shasta in California
Skier camping at Helen Lake on Mt Shasta in California
Skier hiking towards the summit of Mt Shasta
Skier hiking with crampons and skis on Mt Shasta
Skier hiking with ice ax on the summit of Mt Shasta
Two skiers hiking near the summit of Mt Shasta
Skier hiking near the summit of Mt Shasta
Skier arcing a turn on Mt Shasta
Skier making a turn on Mt Shasta in California
Skier making a turn on corn snow on Mt Shasta
Two skiers hiking towards the summit of Mt Shasta

A private guided option for a Mt Shasta summit and ski descent, this program is custom built for your team.  You can decide the route and itinerary for your program on the largest stratovolcano in the Cascade Range: 14,179' Mount Shasta.

We offer private programs up and down multiple routes including:

Avalanche Gulch, West Face, Brewer Creek, Clear Creek, the Hotlum Bolam, and the Hotlum Wintum.

 

    Skier making a turn on Mt Shasta in California during a Blackbird Guides Summit & Ski 3 Day trip
    Skier making a turn on Mt Shasta in California
    Sunset on Mt Shasta in California
    Skier camping at Helen Lake on Mt Shasta in California
    Skier hiking towards the summit of Mt Shasta
    Skier hiking with crampons and skis on Mt Shasta
    Skier hiking with ice ax on the summit of Mt Shasta
    Two skiers hiking near the summit of Mt Shasta
    Skier hiking near the summit of Mt Shasta
    Skier arcing a turn on Mt Shasta
    Skier making a turn on Mt Shasta in California
    Skier making a turn on corn snow on Mt Shasta
    Two skiers hiking towards the summit of Mt Shasta
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier making a turn on Mt Shasta in California
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Sunset on Mt Shasta in California
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier camping at Helen Lake on Mt Shasta in California
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier hiking towards the summit of Mt Shasta
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier hiking with crampons and skis on Mt Shasta
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier hiking with ice ax on the summit of Mt Shasta
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Two skiers hiking near the summit of Mt Shasta
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier hiking near the summit of Mt Shasta
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier arcing a turn on Mt Shasta
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier making a turn on Mt Shasta in California
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier making a turn on corn snow on Mt Shasta
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Two skiers hiking towards the summit of Mt Shasta

    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. 

    Equipment

    Shasta Ski Mountaineering Gear Guide

    Gear Guide / Packing List

     

    Backcountry Touring Gear

    • Alpine Touring Skis or Splitboard - Light to Midweight Setup with “Tech Bindings”
    • Alpine Touring Boots or Splitboard Compatible Boots; Scarpa F1
    • Ski Poles - Lightweight, Adjustable Poles with Baskets; BD Expedition 3 Poles
    • Climbing Skins - Mohair Mix is Best; Black Diamond GlideLite Mohair Mix
    • Ski Crampons - Specific to your Skis/Board
    • Ski Strap - Voile Ski Strap or Similar

    Avalanche Gear

    • Avalanche Beacon - Digital Avalanche Transceiver; Black Diamond Guide Recon BT
    • Avalanche Shovel - Collapsible, Aluminum Shovel; Backcountry Access BT2 Shovel
    • Avalanche Probe - Quickdraw Style Probe; Backcountry Access Stealth 300

    Technical Gear

    • Climbing/Ski Helmet - Dual Rated Helmet; Petzl Sirocco or Black Diamond Vision
    • Headlamp - LED headlamp with fresh batteries; Petzl Actik Core
    • Climbing Harness -  Light Alpine Harness; Petzl Altitude, Mammut Zephyr Altitude
    • Two Locking Carabiners - Petzl Attache, etc
    • Triple Action Locking Carabiner - Edelrid HMS Strike Triple FG Locking Carabiner
    • Double Length Sling - Sewn Runner; Black Diamond 10mm Dynex Runner
    • Belay Device - Tube Style Belay Device; BD ATC Guide, Petzl Reverso
    • Crampons, Steel - Steel Crampons Compatible with Your Boots; Petzl Vasak

    OR Crampons, Aluminum - Aluminum Crampons, Compatible with Your Boots

    Please ask your guide which is appropriate for your objective

    • Lightweight Ice Axe - An ultralight Axe for Steep Terrain; Petzl Ride, BD Raven Ultra

    Head and Neck Layers

    • Sun Hat - A Baseball Hat; Blackbird Mountain Guides Logo Hat
    • Sunglasses - Dark Lens Glasses with Side Coverage; Julbo Shield
    • Goggles - Ski Goggles with a Storm Lens; Julbo Aerospace Reactive
    • Warm Hat - Lightweight Warm Hat that Fits Under Your Helmet; 
    • Neck Gaiter - Light to Midweight Neck Gaiters; Buff or your favorite Face Masks 

    Upper Body and Hand Layers

    • Long Sleeve Base Layer - Lightweight, Synthetic/Wool; Patagonia SunHoody
    • 2 Insulating Top Layers - Light to Midweight Insulation Layers; Patagonia R1 & NanoAir
    • Puffy - Midweight Down or Synthetic with Hood; Patagonia Fitzroy or similar
    • Hardshell Jacket, Hooded - Waterproof, Light, Gore-Tex, NOT insulated; Arc’Teryx Alpha FL
    • Light Gloves - Light to Mid Weight for Warm Temps; Flylow John Henry Gloves, BD Tour
    • Midweight Gloves - Mid to Heavy Weight for Cold Conditions; BD Legend
    • Sports Bra - Wool/Synthetic

    Lower Body and Foot Layers

    • Socks - Midweight Wool/Synthetic; Darn Tough Via Ferrata
    • Underwear - Wool/Synthetic
    • Long Underwear - Wool/Synthetic “Long Johns”;  Patagonia Capilene Air
    • Softshell Ski Pants - Breathable, Weather Resistant Pants; OR Trailbreaker II
    • Vented Hardshell Ski Pants - (Conditions dependent) Waterproof Pants for Extreme Weather

    Camping & Backpacking Gear

    • Sleeping Bag - Down or Synthetic Rated to 0F-20F; Feathered Friends Egret UL 20
    • Sleeping Pad - Insulated Inflatable Air Mattress; Therm-a-Rest NeoAir X-Therm, X-Lite
    • Compression Stuff Sack -  To Pack Sleeping Bag; Ultralight Compression Stuff Sack 10L
    • Backpack - Lightweight, Simple 50 Liter Pack; Patagonia Alpinist 50, BD Speed 50 - MUST FIT ALL OF YOUR GEAR AND FOOD

    Food and Water

    • Dinner - Your Favorite Freeze Dried or “Just-Add-Hot-Water” Meal for Each Night in the Field.
    • Breakfast - Your Favorite Freeze Dried or “Just-Add-Hot-Water” Meal for Each Morning in the Field
    • Hot Drinks - For After Dinner and During Breakfast; Instant Coffee, Decaffeinated Tea, Hot Cocoa, Tang, Whatever You Prefer
    • Half Liter Nalgene Bottle - A Hard Sided Water Bottled that Can Act as your Mug For Hot Drinks and WAter Bottle During the Climb; Nalgene 16oz Wide Mouth Bottle
    • Soft Water Bottle 1.5L - Flexible Water Bladder; Hydrapak Flux 1.5L

    ***Please bring at least one hard sided water bottle.

    • Water Treatment or Filtration - Katadyn BeFree Filter Connects to Hydrapak Flux Bottles 
    • Bowl - Reuse your Freeze Dried Dinner Bag as Your Bowl, or Bring Another
    • Spoon - 9” Long Handled Spoon (For Eating Food in a Bag); GSI Essential Spoon Long
    • Snacks - Snacks and Lunch food  for each day of the trip

    Other Essentials

    • Sun Screen (SPF 30 minimum)
    • Lip Balm (with SPF)
    • Hand Sanitizer
    • Toilet Paper

    Optional

    • First Aid/blister Kit
    • Chemical Hand Warmers
    • Hydration System - Flexible Water Bladder with Hose; Hydrapak, Camelback, Platypus

    Group Gear

    Blackbird Mountain Guides will supply all of the group gear for the trip, including:

    • Slingfin Tents (Designed and Headquartered in Berkeley, CA)
    • Stoves
    • Fuel for Stoves
    • Ropes
    • Snow Pickets (if required)
    • Rock Protection (if required)
    • Guide’s First Aid Kits
    • Wag Bags (Solid Human Waste Disposal Bags)

    Know Before You Go

    Location

    Mount Shasta, CA

    Elevation

    7,000-14,179'

    Difficulty ⚫⚫⚫⚫⚪

    Mount Shasta is a strenuous physical challenge.  Skiers climb over 7,000 feet before descending the largest stratovolcano in the Cascade Range.  It requires efficiency with climbing technique and excellent endurance.

    Trip Length

    3 days

    Policies

    We highly recommend Trip Insurance. Cancellation & Rescheduling Policy.

    Regular price
    $950.00
    Sale price
    $950.00
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