Mount Shasta Locations

[sraichur]

Hello all,

I live in Seattle and am driving down to San Francisco this Thursday & Friday.
We are leaving Thursday evening and overnighting in Eugene. Next day will be spent driving to SF.

The fall colors are still out in force in Seattle. I was going to take my LF camera and hope for some shots along the way. In the interest of time, we have to stick to I-5 all the way down. Also will have kids with me so cannot do any hikes.

I'm looking for any suggestions for shot locations between Eugene and Sf.

Especially Mount Shasta. Does anyone have specific locations for fall colors at Mount Shasta?

Thanks very much

[SamReeves]

There should be some at Sikiyou Lake, maybe some at Castle Lake. The upper Sacramento River has plenty at Cantara Loop. Then there's always Castle Creek and Castle Crags.

[sraichur]

Sam,

Thanks very much. Could you take a look at this link and tell me if this is the lake?

http://www.chucknelsonphotography.com/p563763005/h8e0ab34#h8e0ab34

http://www.chucknelsonphotography.com/p563763005/h213f2a34#h213f2a34

Thanks

[Kuzano]

Sam,

Thanks very much. Could you take a look at this link and tell me if this is the lake?

http://www.chucknelsonphotography.com/p563763005/h8e0ab34#h8e0ab34

http://www.chucknelsonphotography.com/p563763005/h213f2a34#h213f2a34

Thanks

Those pictures look to me more as if shot from the North/Northwest side of Shasta. If you look at the secondary peak, being on the right side of the primary peak, it's as if you are driving down Highway 97 from Klamath Falls in Oregon. There is more of that type of flat farmland and diversity of foliage down that route. The route down I5 is more heavily forested in Pine and Castle Crags is very rugged country.

The picture on the link below is from Castle lake which is a mountain glacial lake set in heavy forest area. Not much of your foliage requirement. Furthermore, looking at that second highest elevation of Mt Shasta, appearing on the left of the main peak, puts you further South down I5. Highway 97 down from K falls taps into I5 in Weed. I think those scenes you listed (WAG here) would be more like above Weed on 97.
This is the link to pic of Castle Lake with Mt Shasta in the background (not like those pics linked in last post). I think this (Castle) lake is on the other side of Mt Shasta from the pictures you linked to on the Nelson web site.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Castlelake_3.jpg

I've been down I5 numerous times into California, but my favorite motorcycle weekend ride (I live on 97 in Bend Oregon) is to take off early Sat morning... and enjoy a very scenic ride, with miles of panorama's of Mt Shasta, down to Shasta City (220 miles) and stay in Shasta City with a ride back home on Sunday. I've never found I5 particularly scenic from Southern California to Seattle. Fast trip, but dull. Back roads and secondary highways for me.

Do, however, keep your eyes open near Shasta Lake.

If there is any fudge room in your time line, I'd encourage you to go to Portland and re-route, down the Columbia to the Dalles or Biggs Junction and take highway 97 down through Central Oregon, K Falls and come in on the panoramas of Mt Shasta just below Klamath Falls. You'll cut back into I5 just North of Mt Shasta, at Weed, Ca. Mileage distance will not be much greater and 97 is good highway. It's still the primary transport route North and South East of the Cascades. Good road, just not 4 lane all the way. Much but not all.

You'll encounter the many large waterfalls along the Columbia, Panoramas from high points above the Columbia, Apple country of Hood River and Mt Hood (if you cut South down from Hood River, over Hood to HWY 97 to Central Oregon) and South from there.

Anyway, I hope this helps. You may have to google map or yahoo map some of those lakes and peaks mentioned in previous posts.

[sraichur]

Kuzano,

Thanks very much for the reply and the suggestions. I just got hold of the photographer who took those pictures linked in my post, and you are correct, he took those right outside Grenada (off of road A12) just where you were saying.

Going down 97 does sound great. Maybee I can talk the wife into doing that.

Only problem is, i just checked the weather forcast and it says rain on the day we are driving. But i'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Thanks again.

[Keith Fleming]

Sraicher,

Do keep a very close eye on the weather forecasts. The 5:00 news on Channel 4 in Seattle this evening said there is a chance, though slight, of snow on Friday.

Keith Fleming

[h2oman]

I'll try to get you some better info tomorrow, but here is an idea: If you like the look of Shasta from the north, you can always just go down I-5 to about Montague or Grenada, get off and take A12 to 97, then take 97 to Weed, where you're back on I-5. the whole thing would only cost you about 30 minutes extra if you just drove it straight, I would guess.

By the way, the "secondary peak" to the right of Mount Shasta in the photo is called Shastina.

For colors the Canterra loop area is a good suggestion. I'd say if it is precipitating, that might be your choice, if you can see Shasta you could do the A12/97 thing and /or Castle Lake and/or Castle Creek/Castle Crags.

There's a nice church out A12:

[SamReeves]

Sam,

Thanks very much. Could you take a look at this link and tell me if this is the lake?

http://www.chucknelsonphotography.com/p563763005/h8e0ab34#h8e0ab34

http://www.chucknelsonphotography.com/p563763005/h213f2a34#h213f2a34

Thanks

Definitely Siskiyou Lake I think. It's on a more flat surface. Castle Lake is up in elevation (7 miles up from WA Barr Road).

[h2oman]

Given the weather forecast on the NOAA site, I would say that Mount Shasta will not be in view within the foreseeable future, including this weekend. It is currently covered with clouds (I can see it from my living room window when it is visible). As much as I like the suggestion of skipping I-5, I don't think that is the way to go, given the weather forecast and your time constraints.

I'm not an expert on the area, but I've spent some time poking around there. A couple suggestions for more trees/fall color are these:

1. Get off at the central Mount Shasta City exit and go right, rather then left toward town. Get on W A Barr Road (see mapquest) and go until you see the golf course on your left. At the far end of the golf course there is a dirt pullout on your left. Park there and walk out on the road across the dam for a look into the Box Canyon of the Sacramento River - it's pretty cool. At the dirt pullout there is a trail that heads downstream above the river. It might be worth walking along that a hundred yards or so. At some point there is a somewhat dicey looking trail going down and to the right. It is used by kayakers to get down to the river - you'll probably want to avoid that. If you cross the dam (driving again) and take the first left, a dirt road, and stay left, it will take you down toward the river. You'll have to backtrack when done. If you only want to make one more stop, skip that and follow the next suggestion.

Go back toward town but then get on S Old Stage Road headed south (Mapquest again). Take the Canterra Loop Road down to the river, where there is parking, a bathroom and some nice deciduous trees. This is a nice area where your kids might be able to entertain themselves while you shoot. The map shows this road crossing the river and connecting to the dam area, but I don't think it really does that - I think it is down to the river, then back out. You can then take S Old Stage Road south to an entrance onto the Interstate somewhere, I can't remember how far.

2. Check out the Dunsmuir area. Two things of note are the city park and Hedge Creek Falls. The hike to where you can see the falls is literally a couple hundred feet, a bit farther to get to the base. The city park has water features and access to the Sacramento River. You are better off googling these two things, rather than relying on me for directions!

If you go back later when your kids might be able to hike a mile or two, you should definitely check out Mossbrae Falls.

Another thing I forgot about is Lithia Park in Ashland. It ranges from manicured near the bottom to not so much so up higher. I suspect you can find photos if you google it.

Again, If you are coming down I-5 and CAN see Shasta, just take the Grenada exit and follow A12 to 97, then take that to Weed. If you were to go north from the junction (rather than south toward Weed) about 5 miles you would get to a scenic turnout with this view of Shasta (warning: small format!) This is the kind of thing Kuzano is talking about!

[h2oman]

PS

I'm certain that all the photos in the link you provided were taken at various places out in the Little Shasta Valley, that A12 goes through. There a number of ponds/small lakes out there that I suspect are the water features in the photos.

As Sam said, Castle Lake is up high, to the west of Mount Shasta City. Here is a photo that a friend of mine took of Shasta from the Castle Lake area:

http://www.eyefetch.com/image.aspx?ID=558344

[scorpio516]

Mossbrae is very interesting, but you've got to hike a couple miles along railroad tracks, and in a couple places, there isn't enough room for people if a train comes by.

Another option is to take the 89 exit between the towns of Mt. Shasta and Dunsmuir. You drive along the south side of Shasta and get a lot of nice views, but if you turn south in a couple miles down Fowler public camp road, you get to McCloud Falls. There are three parts, nice but not amazing - but I did go in snow covered April. Get back on Eastbound 89 to almost the 89/299 intersection - there is the McArthur Burney state park with Burney Falls. These are very nice. Once done there, get back on 89 (E) and head to 299, turning right (west). 299 will take you to Redding and I5.

I'm sure you know about Silver Falls outside of Salem, OR too? A bunch of nice falls, but can get crowded.

[Kevin Crisp]

Highway 97 from Biggs Junction down to Weed, CA is one of my all time favorite drives. Great small towns like Grass Valley, Moro, Burns, Shaniko and Wasco, the list goes on. High desert scrub, beautiful rolling wheat fields, lots of abandoned stuff.

[sraichur]

Thank you all for the great suggestions!

H20man, thanks for the detailed instructions. I'll try to check out the cranberra loop if shasta is clouded.

Too bad I was really looking fwd to a nice sunset shot from A12.

[SamReeves]

UP has blocked off access to Mossbrae. The Siskiyou County sheriff is issuing tickets if you park at the crossing at Shasta Retreat. Supposedly they are working on a new trail on the other side of the river from Hedge Creek, but I haven't heard further.