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[Yosemite]

Summiting Mt. Lassen end of May

Hiking, backpacking, running, biking, climbing, rafting, and other human-powered activities in the Sierra Nevada and elsewhere outside Yosemite National Park

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Summiting Mt. Lassen end of May

Postby dgilman » Thu May 04, 2017 2:45 pm

Hello.

Anyone have thoughts on what it will take to summit Mt. Lassen Memorial Day weekend? We plan to be up there and suspect things will still be pretty snow-covered. If it will be more technical, can anyone recommend an outfitter/guide in that area can assist?

We'll be "glamping" in the Manzanita Lake cabins, as some of the group will have kids (who won't join the summit attempt).

Thank you!

David
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Re: Summiting Mt. Lassen end of May

Postby Phil » Thu May 04, 2017 4:19 pm

Snowy...somewhere around 20' of depth at the summit right now. I would imagine that unless you do hire a guide service that can get you up and provide you with equipment, or have your own (crampons, ice axes, ropes, etc), you're going to have a very hard time reaching the summit at all. They usually don't get the Lassen portion of Hwy 89 open until late June or July, and according to the map, the majority of it is still unplowed, and it's a 2 month process to do the 30 or so miles in a normal snow year.

You did visit Lassen's website, right?

https://www.nps.gov/lavo/planyourvisit/conditions.htm
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Re: Summiting Mt. Lassen end of May

Postby dgilman » Thu May 04, 2017 4:23 pm

I did but it was unclear to me (probably because of distracted reading) how unaccessible the trail head is.
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Re: Summiting Mt. Lassen end of May

Postby Dave_Ayers » Thu May 04, 2017 5:23 pm

You might try SWS Mountain Guides. I think they do some 3-day winter courses there but I don't know if they will do custom guided trips. (I've not used them.)

As Phil mentions, the road is snowed in and they block it at Manzanita and near the south Entrance until it is fully plowed. From Manzanita, you'd have about a 6 mile slog just to get to the usual Lassen Peak trail head. About half of that is cross-country assuming the trail SSE from Manzanita can be followed. Parts will undoubtedly be through deep snow. Then there is the 2.2 mile ascent of the peak itself after you get to the trailhead. That portion is up switch backs and fairly steep. In total, that's a hefty out-and-back day hike under the best of conditions for most folks. An over-nighter seems to me to be a must for a snowshoe trip in May.
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Re: Summiting Mt. Lassen end of May

Postby dgilman » Sat Jun 03, 2017 9:50 am

We decided the wiser choice was to summit Chaos Crags and just get a shot of Lassen and Shasta...

https://goo.gl/photos/4sr1GaiqjbDxVbKN9

As always, thanks for the advice.

David
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