When we decided to take a quick snowshoeing trip to the Mt. Shasta Nordic Center in northern California, my husband and I were fortunate that the dates we chose in mid-February coincided with a short break in the snowy, stormy weather that’s been so relentless this winter. The roads were clear and there was plenty of snow from prior storms, but no new snowfall. Although we’d done a couple of prior outings with snowshoes, it had been several years, and we appreciated the good conditions for this one.
We planned our snowshoe outing for a Thursday, but we arrived the afternoon before and had time to survey the setting under clear skies and bright sunshine. Adjacent to the Nordic Center parking lot, we noticed the rental equipment trailer, a few benches, and the staff yurt with smoke drifting out its chimney. While there wasn’t currently a lodge for visitor use, there may be one in the future according to the web site. The Nordic Center is a program of the Siskiyou Outdoor Recreation Alliance, which has applied for grant funding to construct a new trailhead lodge facility.
We talked with a staff member about the trails and what we could do on snowshoes. There’s a 2.5 km snowshoe trail called Hill and Dell, with great views of the mountain, he said. We could also snowshoe on any of the groomed cross-country ski trails, keeping off to the side to preserve the ski tracks.
The next day was overcast but not too cold, hovering around 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
As we approached the Nordic Center trailhead, a well-supervised group of elementary school kids was already there, learning Nordic ski techniques and sounding like they were having a great time.
We bought our trail passes ($15 each), strapped on our snowshoes and daypacks, grabbed our poles and headed out on the snowshoe trail. After a while, it became apparent why the name of the trail is Hill and Dell. Some of the downslopes were unsettlingly icy, creating a slippery trek on hilly terrain that the snowshoes’ crampons weren’t grabbing. When we mentioned to a staff member about the icy conditions on the snowshoe trail, he said, “Yeah, I was afraid of that.”
We decided to change course and enjoy the trek on several of the groomed trails instead.
The groomed trails provided exactly what we were looking for – some great exercise and a day hike through the serene and snowy forest.
A great winter day outdoors!
A few notes from our experience that day:
The Mt. Shasta Nordic Center on the slopes of Mt. Shasta is about 70 miles north of Redding, California via I-5, and about 10 miles from the city of Mt. Shasta. There are 23 km of trails, rated easiest to intermediate to expert, and staff can provide rental equipment for Nordic skiing or snowshoeing. They can also set you up with lessons.
The trailhead elevation is approximately 5,200 feet.
Cell coverage is adequate on the trails we were on, and the Nordic Center phone number was prominently posted at the trailhead.
Dressing in layers is key. As cold as it might be when you start out, you warm up quickly as you’re snowshoeing.
Bringing plenty of water is essential. Even if you don’t feel thirsty, drink water anyway. Dehydration can sneak up with the exertion and high elevation. And some protein bars will come in handy for energy.
We found that using ski poles really helped with stability.
Don’t forget to stop and look around. And take pictures if you’re inclined!
Hotels are located in the nearby city of Mt. Shasta. We stayed at the Best Western Tree House Inn, which has nice, comfortable rooms as well as a restaurant, bar, and pool.
The Black Bear Diner in Mt. Shasta is the original location of that restaurant chain, and serves huge, hearty meals.
Gail Gourley Travels 