[pct-l] Mt. Shasta

[CMountainDave at aol.com (CMountainDave@aol.com)]

I agree that the best time to climb Shasta would be in late May or June while 
there is still plenty of soft, but consolidated snow.  Later it would be 
quite the grind in scree
   I was turned back my first two attempts, the first because deeep post 
holing in early May led to exhaustion so I settled for Shastina instead. The 
second I was repulsed by a snow storm and poor visibility.  My third attempt I was 
absolutely determined and did all 7500' in a single day. Not even a 
thunderstorm near the summit was enough to turn me back. I just hunkered down until it 
passed and continued on. Good? Bad?  Neither. Just was climbing my own climb is 
the way I see it, which is no rules, just decisions. The mountain was telling 
me loud and clear that she was no pushover and would settle for no less than 
a committed, concentrated, knowledgeable effort to gain the summit. And that 
is exactly what I gave her on my third attempt so she let me pass
 I saw some mighty weird techniques on my way up and none of those people 
practicing them made the summit. One roped team (why roped, I haven't the 
faintest clue -- guess they were climbing their own climb) were doing looong looping 
switchbacks that gained about 25 feet per switchback, all on a slope that was 
easily glissadeable. They could have climbed like that for a week and not be 
near the summit. One couple's idea was to race as fast as they could uphill 
until they were exhausted and gasping for air. They rested until they caught 
their breath and repeated the process, presumably until they collapsed. I took a 
straight line, set up a doable rhythmical pace and just did it.
  Sometimes determination is what it takes. Sometimes it's technique. But 
most often it's a combination of the two. And I always ask permission to stand on 
a mountain's summit, and give thanks on my way down. Climb your own climb and 
try to make decisions based on the situation, not on some rigid set of rules 
or other people's ideas on how it should be done.  Snow in May ain't the snow 
in June, ain't the snow in August and neither is the climb

 David C