Our Story of Conquering Mt Shasta (youtube video)

I had the privilege to climb along with the FANTASTIC FOUR  to the top of 14,162 foot Mt Shasta this year in June. 

I couldn't have made it up without each one of them!! Thanks Ben, Debbie, Kelly and David!!


Thanks to David "man thighs" Smith for putting in the time to make this awesome video slideshow so all can share in our journey to the top! 

David.... your a close brother, best friend, accountability partner, childhood friend and with high alpine air now within our lungs we'll conquer the next mountain together!!


Let the story begin

A Pictorial Journey to the top of Mt Shasta

Conquering Mt Shasta this year was simply amazing. I can't wait to write a couple blog posts about it! So here's to the first one. Its simply pictures taken along the epic journey. Enjoy!
Thanks to David Smith, my best friend along with Ben, Kelly and Debbie. Without you guys the whole trip would have never went as well, as epic, as it did! Thanks!!

Hope these  pics inspire everyone to go climb something!!!!!!!

Heading up from Horse Camp... with no horses..drat!! I guess i just gained 35 lbs for 3 days!

The first snow patch among many patches and annual snow fields on the trail

Being last on the trail has it's benefits...pictures and more pictures

Starting up Avalanche Gulch....with no avalanche's hopefully

At this point i told the whole group that.....most of the trail is covered in snow but they continued to go barefoot.....

Base camp was just above the rock eyebrow in the middle right of the pic

Heading to Lake Helen our base camp

The wet slushy slug of a hike continues

Evidence of spring avalanche's (the rocks on the right) remind us to be alert

100 yards to base camp

Looking down from base camp at where we started

Base camp at last!

Looking up Avalanche Gulch at the route for the next day, summit day!

Our home for the night

Base camp at Helen Lake

Sunset at 10,433 ft

The early morning summit hike from base camp

Heading up at first light

There's nothing like climbing at sunrise

The CREW!!!

Shasta's shadow

David a.k.a "man thighs" leading the way

Follow the leader... follow the dots

Entering the Red Banks

Can you see base camp?

Red Banks 

The slow pokes behind us

Just above Red Banks with David giving the team "the look" to get going

 Thumb Rock 12,923 ft

Our world is VAST!

At last we can see the summit block

Looking down at 12,330 ft Shastina

Taking a break before the summit push

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Putting our names in the summit register

Ben, Kelly and Debbie claiming their share of the 14,162 Mt Shasta

David claiming his share as i nervously take photos hoping a wind gust doesn't surprise us

Go COUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go HAWKS!!!!!!

Heading down from being on top of the world

    IF WE CAN CLIMB MT. SHASTA THEN                                YOU CAN!!!

Mount Roosevelt 360 view via video

Snow lake from Mount Roosevelt

Just west above Gem lake in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness lays Mount Roosevelt .
Sitting at 5,835 its one of the tallest mountains around Gem lake and sits nestled next to the tallest peak in the area Kaleetan Peak at 6,259.
The climb up from Gem lake is short but requires some steep scrambling up rocks ledges and through brush. Its a definite side trip once at Gem lake.
Here's the 360 view from the top:

                                           

Prep for Mt Shasta

This weekend, June 11-15, I will be tackling the summit of Mt Shasta with a group of 5 friends. Mt Shasta sits at 14,179 ft tall. My previous elevation record was Mt Adams last year at over 12,000 ft. Due to whatever reason, maybe dehydration, i ended up having some moderate altitude sickness. The sickness included a bad headache, dizziness, loss of energy and lack of focus. With Shasta being another 2,000 ft higher ill need to prepare my body better for the high altitude. 
So here's the plan.
8 days before the climb starts, I'll start a special food prep which includes:

- Drinking half my body weight of water in ounces each day. This puts me at 90 ounces of water each day. Therefore I'll be fully hydrated when i start the ascent

- Eating only complex carbs, fruits, vegetables and low fat proteins

- Cutting out all added sugars and eat only natural sugars which occur already in the fruit etc.

- Cutting out all bread. I have had only a small portion of whole wheat bread. Whole wheat is a good complex carb.

- Taking in lots of ginger in my diet mainly through adding whole ginger root into my smoothies. I heard this helps with altitude sickness.

- Taking ginkgo biloba as a supplement. I heard this also helps with altitude sickness even though i may have started taking the supplement to late as it may need for time for full effect.

- Foods I'm eating: Apples, oranges, blueberries, bananas , brown rice, kale, carrots, sugar snap peas,  cashews, whole wheat bread, ginger root, broccoli, black bean humus, eggs, strawberries, and chicken and steal cut oatmeal

By Saturday June 13th I'll be on the summit and hopefully feeling well and not worrying about anything but the great views and memories made.

If you have any tips, recommendations or options on this matter feel free to ad a comment.