climb Mt. Shasta

There’s a trip with my school in April to climb up Mt. Shasta, and I want to be ready for it. They say I need to be in shape enough to run an 8 minute mile and that I should start training several months before. I just got back from France where I basically sat on my ass eating cream puffs for 4 months… Time to get myself in gear!

Majestic Mount Shasta seems to have a memorable impact on everyone who comes within sight of the massive, snowcapped volcano. The Mountain inspires thoughts of walking through luscious meadows, hiking on alpine trails, or climbing the summit to experience breathtaking views…

The family made plans to climb last month. This summer the snow pack is so low that it created a danger from falling rock. There are other routes, but they require more than we had, so we postponed the trip.
Next year. And I will be ready!

Made it to the summit. This trip was amazing. Pretty much my first heavy-duty backpacking trip. I’d do it again if I wasn’t so sunburnt!

I’m not in the shape to climb a mountain, and it’s not high enough on my priorities to warrant this spot on my list, but I’m from the area and I just don’t feel like I can give up on it. How sad it that? Perhaps I could change to just visiting Mt. Shasta as an intermediate step? I don’t know…

Questions about fitness

All of our trips are physically strenuous; however, many people from diverse age groups and physical abilities climb to the summit with us every year. To get the most out of your climb, we recommend that you start an exercise regimen several months prior to your trip.

A routine that incorporates aerobic activity and muscle strengthening will provide the best training. A balance between weight lifting and aerobic exercise is ideal. If possible, we recommend that you incorporate outdoor training into your program. For example, begin with hiking up moderate trails or stairways without the weight of a backpack. Slowly and conservatively add weight to a back pack as you increase your hiking pace and move on to more difficult trails. The key to an efficient climb on Mt. Shasta lies in a climber’s ability to maintain a slow and steady pace. Normally, our guides strive to keep groups moving for 1-1.5 hours between breaks. We recommend that you work towards maintaining 1-1.5 hr. hiking intervals with a weighted pack on your training hikes.

The best training to climb is to simulate the activity, hiking uphill with a backpack on. If trails are not assessable to you we recommend using a gym, taking the stairs in your building, cycling and jogging. Work toward an hour of uninterrupted aerobic activity. Always consult your doctor before beginning
any exercise program.

from http://www.shastaguides.com/faq.shtml

My mother did this in 1998, the year I started college and the year of her 50th birthday. I’ve always been jealous but I’ve never taken the time to acomplish this feat. Someday, I will.

We didn’t make the summit in ‘04, so we made sure to be prepared this year. It was well worth it.

Ok, so I didn’t make it to the summit. Nobody in our group did due to altitude and inclement weather. However, making it to 11,000 ft was an accomplishment. Next year, Summit or bust

I’ve summited Shasta a few times, and even when we don’t summit, it is a lovely hike.

My most memorable climb was leading Jessica, Mario, Marcio, Michelle and Michael on a trip. It was wedding present to Jessica, who was getting married the next month. We had a glorious time and more than half of us reached the summit despite not having any hiking experience at all.

On that trip, I remember giving water to some thirsty hikers, and teaching everyone to self-arrest on the glacier.