North Gate - Mount Shasta Wilderness

The hike follows an obvious trail through an unusual whitebark pine forest to reach exceptional views of Shasta's upper north flank. The adventurous can continue for some distance up the mountain but the slopes require increasing technical skills and equipment above 10,000 feet. because the area offers challenging mountaineering problems, climbers are plentiful here in late spring and early summer. As the snow melts away in July, climbing routes become hazardous; the region remains little visited until the following spring. No water is available at the trailhead or anywhere along this hike, once the snow has melted.