You are here
05-22-2015-Casaval Ridge
General Conditions
Casaval Ridge is in decent shape right now. The best conditions have passed for the season and we are now on the downward side of good conditions. The meat and potatoes of the route is still in decent shape however. It's the lower portion of the ridge that is melting out and consists of exposed rock. While this doesn't pose much threat, it's less desirable than nice firm snow for smooth climbing. Giddy-Giddy Gulch is a snow covered alternate to the melted-out lower portion of the route. Giddy-Giddy is the first gully to the west of the ridge and tops out on Casaval Ridge. Where it tops out is the most common place to set your base camp along the ridge. You can also bump up to the next bench along the route, however it will be much more exposed to wind. The northwest wind Mt Shasta fequently receives RIPS across Casaval and particularly at this upper bench location. Wind speeds here can be ridiculous. While this route is not technically difficult, Casaval Ridge presents its difficulty by providing exposure to long slips and falls along much of the upper ridge line. It is recommended that one has strong self-arrest skills, route finding, and solid mountaineering judgement!
The "Hourglass", a short and steep section about halfway up the route and easily recognizable is filled in with snow, albeit narrow. The photos below are not the most current, but give you an idea of what to expect. A bit less snow now exists. Your ice axe in the low dagger position and solid front point crampon skills will get you through here. The catwalk is currently in good shape and is covered in a thin strip of snow and ice. The Catwalk is also not technically difficult. The "walk" entails less that 1/4 mile of a narrow sidewalk width section of the ridge with some decent exposure to the climbers right, Avy Gulch side of the ridge. Don't trip or slip here. If one chooses, it can be avoided by traversing climbers left, finishing at the top of the West Face route. As with all ridge routes, be careful not to dislodge rocks onto climbers below you!
