Sometime last spring, I set a goal of summiting Whitney and Shasta over the summer. Although taller than Shasta (and the tallest in the contiguous US), I wanted to climb Whitney first because Shasta is more technical. After some research, I realized these climbs were time sensitive and if I realistically wanted to do both, Shasta would have to be done first. Shasta is easier to climb when there is snow. Once the snow melts, conditions become more dangerous due to rock falls and difficult because of sliding on scree. (In the week leading up to my climb, a small group had to dodge a van-sized boulder while ascending.) I researched and read all I could to prepare, set a date, and somehow convinced Katherine to accompany me.
We left Sac Friday afternoon, July 13th and arrived at the Bunny Flat trailhead just after 9pm. We originally hoped to make it to the Sierra Club cabin that night at Horse Camp, but decided to car camp near the parking lot and get an early start in the morning. In the morning, we talked to several climbers who had been on the mountain the day before. Many did not summit due to deteriorating conditions on the main and easiest route to the top, right of the Heart, which was also the route Kat and I had planned to take. A bad rain/snow year for Nor-Cal had created late summer-like conditions in early July. We decided to head up to base camp, Helen Lake, despite the bad news and assess the situation once there.
The trail to Horse Camp was pleasant. It was shaded and the grade was easy.
Not knowing what the water situation would be like at Helen Lake (which is not a lake at all but an ice field), we opted to pack up as much water as we could hold, 5 liters each. We filled up our Nalgenes and Camelbacks from the spring at Horse Camp and hoisted our very heavy packs onto our backs for the journey to Helen Lake.
(Me at Horse Camp)
(My pack - 50 lbs with water)
It took us longer than expected to get to Helen Lake. We hiked above and out of the tree line soon after Horse Camp and the afternoon sun was not kind among the fields of scree. The trail was steep and there were a few spots of rock scrambling that Kat did not enjoy...at all! 
She was a trooper, though, and we arrived at Helen lake sometime after 2pm, 5 hours after leaving Bunny Flat. It is here that Kat and I realized her slow-going up to base camp was a result of altitude sickness.
(Base camp - Helen Lake)
Because I'm feeling very lazy at the moment, the story continues from the account of Kim, a guy we met at Helen Lake and with whom I continued my journey. He and his friend, Steve, are from a climbing club in Eugene, Oregon. The following excerpt was taken from his trip report:
"While Steve and I rested Saturday, two women camped near us and we learned that one, Kat had some symptoms of altitude sickness. Her friend Brianne saw to her as best she could and through the evening she showed signs of improving. Obviously Kat would be ill advised to try to go any higher, and she decided not to. As this left Brianne alone and we were a party of two, I invited her to climb with us and she accepted.
"The three of us departed Lake Helen at 3:33 a.m. Sunday, we were the first climbers to leave camp, although three more groups of two each were only a few minutes behind us.
"We chose a route that allowed us to make use of our crampons all but about 200 yards of the way up. We stayed to the left side of the gulch, which put us close to the rock fall area, but it was very early and pretty cold and we went through that stretch without talking. Then it was easy to cross 200 yards of scree and continue up past the Heart. While crossing the scree we could hear the torrent of water under our feet. It was like standing on a rushing river, but the rock was dry!
"Once above the Heart we turned a hard left to continue on the snow up a snow ledge that had an incline of about 45 degrees. This was a very challenging stretch and all three of us did it without mishap. Going through the Red Banks was not an option due to the lack of snow.
"Once we crested the snow ledge it was an easy walk across the ice to Misery Hill. Above Misery Hill we crossed a ridge where we were rewarded with a wonderful view of Shastina. Then we crossed the last ice field and climbed to the true summit, summiting at 8:38 a.m. for an ascent time of 5:05. The wind on the summit was fierce as it had been ever since we had gotten above the Heart so we did not stay long!
"The down climb was four hours and not a lot of fun as we had to descend on the scree once the glissade ended, which was much shorter than normal, again due to the lack of snow.
"This was the most difficult climb I have led to date, and as such the most rewarding. I was very proud of my climb partners, although both were new to mountaineering they climbed with strength, tenacity and intelligence during a difficult and at times dangerous climb."
(Switchbacking at dawn adjacent to the Heart)
(Mt. Shasta casting a morning shadow on the valley below)
(Misery Hill)
(Shastina)
(Me on Shasta Summit 14,162ft)
