Mt. Shasta Nordic Center
Towering above the landscape, Mt. Shasta offers numerous adventures. For snowshoeing, a good place to go is actually just south of the mountain at the Mt. Shasta Nordic Center. Located on the road to the Mt. Shasta Ski Park, the Mt. Shasta Nordic Center has 25km of groomed trails with a warming hut at the trailhead. It has both cross-country and snowshoe specific trails. While many trails are skier specific, snowshoers are allowed to use them as long as they stay to the side. The Mt. Shasta Nordic Center has been in operation since the winter of 91'-92' and is open Wednesday through Monday from 9am - 4pm. To use the trails, a membership or $10 donation ($5 for youth/senior) is recommended. These donations and membership costs go to support the center and it's daily operations. Dogs are not allowed on the groomed trails but are fine on the non-groomed trails and snowshoe specific routes.
Terrain
The Mt. Shasta Nordic Center has mainly forested trails of varying difficulty.
Skill Level:
Beginner to Advanced.
Directions & Map:
- From the Ashland Outdoor Store, head SE on Siskiyou Blvd/99. Stay on this road through town.
- Merge onto I-5, heading South, just South of town. Stay on I-5 South into California for about 72 miles.
- Take Exit 736, CA-89 S, toward Lassen National Park & McCloud. Stay on this road for 5.7 miles.
- Turn Left onto Ski Park Hwy toward the Mt. Shasta Ski Park. Follow this road for about 3.4 miles.
- Mt. Shasta Nordic Ski Area will be on the Left.
Recommended Equipment
- Day Pack (15L-35L)
- Layers
- Gloves
- Hat
- Active layer - soft shell or fleece
- Insulating layer - down or synthetic fill jacket
- Hard Shell pant and top
- First Aid Kit
- Backcountry repair kit
- Basic emergency/overnight kit
- Small foam pad for breaks
- Goggles or sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Camera
Food & Water
For water, 2L-3L per person for a day trip is recommended. As for food, several small snacks throughout the day are recommended. Big meals are fun but bog you down. Small snacks allow for a continual flow of energy to your body. For your snacks, try to balance sugars, fats, proteins, and carbs so your body is continually fueled. This helps reduce crashes in energy during the day.
Additional Info
- Trailhead Lat/Long: 41° 18' 27.86" N x 122° 12' 44.84" W
- Trailhead elevation: 5240ft
Resources & Links
Weather
Click here for the NOAA weather forcast for this area.
