It Hasta Be Shasta: A Little Trip To See A Big Mountain
For people that like to plan it felt like we were flying by the seat of our pants and many of our stops had been unplanned until literally the very last minute. In our limited experience though, the unplanned plans usually tended to be the most memorable, often becoming the highlight of the trip.
But in this case, we knew early on that Mount Shasta was a must see on our trip down to Southern California and we were determined to make it happen!
Located some 60 miles north of Redding and about 40 miles south of the Oregon border, Mount Shasta would be right on our route if we stuck to I5. Which of course we didn’t do and many “we’re taking the long way round” quotes later, we finally arrived in the most roundabout way possible.
Coming from Lava Beds National Monument by way of Hwy 97 from the southeast, we turned to the northwest and headed up Hwy 89 towards Mount Shasta which was now slightly out of our route.
We’d been on the road several hours by the time we got our first glimpse of the lonely mountain and let me just say, the view, even obscured mostly by trees, did not disappoint!
I recently read a quote by John Muir who wrote about the magic of seeing Mount Shasta for the first time from a distance.
“When I first caught sight of it I was 50 miles away and afoot, alone and weary. Yet all my blood turned to wine, and I have not been weary since”
We were considerably closer but I get what he’s saying. It’s a powerful thing, laying eyes on something so huge and awe inspiring and it puts everything into perspective, often giving life a whole new meaning.
It really is intoxicating!
We weren’t on the road much longer before we finally made it to the town of Mt. Shasta with its small population of 3,236.
Having grown up in one of those teeny tiny towns myself (3,684) I remember thinking as a kid that I’d never want to live in a small town again because it was just SO BORING.
But now, as I get older, I often find myself longing for that small town life, thinking that I’d never live in a big city because it’s just SO BUSY.
Mount Shasta was my kind of town. It was small, quiet and simple despite the slightly elevated hustle and bustle that came during tourist season. It was one of those hidden gem nestled in the forest with a huge mountain as the backdrop that people retreated to for some peace and quiet. A little slice of paradise. I mean, what’s not to love?
After finding a park for the boys to stretch their legs a little, we picked up dinner at Yaks Shack and somehow we didn’t manage to snap a single picture of the epic feast that followed.
I blame the chaos.
I’ll try to paint you a picture with words so imagine if you will:
Fresh cut fries smothered in smoked chicken, bacon crumbles and melted cheese topped with their homemade asiago ranch sauce. It was an aptly named “Hot Mess” and it was absolutely delicious!
Atlas had a cheeseburger and Fenix had his signature ramen noodles because he’s three and nothing else will do.
After just a little more driving, we found home for the night, right near the base of Mount Shasta in the middle of the forest.
It didn’t get much better than that!
We parked in a clearing among the trees and after practically inhaling our dinner, we got out and started setting up camp. The spot we’d picked was perfection and there were plenty of safe distractions for the boys so Nick and I could focus on getting everything set up and ready for bed.
While we popped the top of the Hawk, Atlas and Fenix wielded stick swords as they battled for dominance against a half rotten tree stump.
After our new home base was established, we set off on a walk before bed to explore our new surroundings, and hopefully get a glimpse of the mountain as the sun set.
Despite the higher elevation, it wasn’t cold at all and we walked for a time, taking in all the beauty around us, the silence of the forest only occasionally punctuated by the sound of a couple of happy kids as they ran ahead on the deserted road.
The air smelled fresh and crisp, the scent of dirt and that signature tangy undertone of pine needles combining to create a delicious cocktail of foresty goodness. Being in the tall trees always feels like taking a deep breath to me, there’s just something about it that speaks to my soul.
It’s so calming and relaxing, a promise of better times without the hustle and bustle of daily life. It’s a reminder that resilience and persistence pays off and that sometimes despite all the odds, you can still thrive. And as you take in the life that teems around you, both big and small, it somehow makes you feel more alive yourself.
It’s a place where you can simply just be.
Mount Shasta is a sight to behold, even without snow and it towers above everything, scraping that big blue sky at a whopping 14,179 feet high making us feel like insignificant ants.
Officially speaking, Mount Shasta is the fifth highest mountain in California and the second highest mountain in the Cascade Range with Mount Rainier coming in first at just 249 feet higher.
In addition to being tall, it’s also wide, its base measuring in at an impressive diameter larger than 17 miles.
It’s so big that they say that on a clear day it can be seen from up to 150 miles away.
It hasta be Shasta!
And to think we only explored a fraction of it.
We played pinecone soccer on the way back to the RamHawk for the night and crawled into our beds feeling so thankful for our Four Wheel Camper which gave us the ability to travel to new places like this.
In the morning, fueled by the power of the intoxicating mountain we’d continue our trek south knowing the possibilities were endless for where the road might take us next.
