SHASTA in Ten Easy Steps, Part I.

Step one: Begin driving . . .

Frickin' Wendover.

Step 2: After arriving at The Rock House, realize that the smoke detector that is beeping is stuck behind a locked door. Pry the door off the hinges with a whippet and tear the batteries out of the detector. Begin getting your gear organized. . .

Check out the decorations. Classic rock LP's. Awesome.


Carefully organized, well balanced, everything ready to rock. That didn't last.

Step 3: Awake the next morning, get maps and summit permits, and drive towards the trailhead. Park 5.8 miles and about 2000' below the trailhead. Damn. Turn your carefully balanced pack into a total junkshow.

A lesson in too much shit on too small of a pack.

Step 4: After walking up the road for a mile or so, find some consistent snow and begin skinning directly towards the route. Get your first good luck at the Hotlum-Wintun Ridge, and shake your head in disbelief. This is gonna be incredible. . .

To be continued. . .

Boring update: Strength Day.

Overhead squats: 7 sets of 2. The best I could manage was 125x2, and 135x1. I'm definitely losing strength and shoulder flexibility.

Weighted pull ups: 3x35lbs, 3X53lbs, 3x53lbs, 2x53lbs, 2x53lbs. Holding steady.