Reflections from Mt. Shasta

I have not always appreciated the outdoors. As a child, outside seemed daunting. It was the place of cuts, scrapes, and bug bites–or sometimes all three. No thank you. 

Now, even though I don’t welcome bug bites any more than I did then, the list of things that draw me outside far outweighs my childhood fears: warm sun on my face, the tickle of cool breeze on my skin, a shadowy night sky illuminated by stars, and mountains that appear to touch the sky. 

It is this expanding appreciation for the outdoors that motivates me to drive hours away from the Bay Area, exchanging views of skyscrapers for ones of forests full of trees. 

So in early September, my friends, my partner and I set out on a 4-hour road trip to visit Mt. Shasta—home to the namesake snow-capped mountain.

Here, the alpine air feels crisp and clean, and the night sky twinkles with stars—a view that’s difficult to get in San Francisco where light pollution drowns starlight. On our first night, I try to photograph the stars with my phone, but all I end up with is an inky black square. So I settle for looking up, and try to commit the scene to memory. 

Our weekend unfolds in peaceful waves against a backdrop of nature’s colors: deep blue lakes, dark green pine forests and foam white waterfalls. We skip pebbles over the sky’s reflection at Lake Siskiyou, take pictures of Mount Shasta’s sloping expanse, and hike well-worn paths that bring us to flowing cascades at McCloud Falls and Burney Falls. 

I feel a deepening sense of gratitude as we travel through these places, because to love the outdoors is one thing, but to enjoy it freely is wholly another; it is a privilege, one that I never want to lose sight of or take for granted. 

I have not always appreciated the outdoors. But now I do. My childhood fears have since dissipated, and in their wake remains reverence, wonder, and limitless curiosity. 

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Good To Know

Mount Shasta is a town in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest area which is home to many beautiful lakes, hiking trails, and waterfalls.

I use AllTrails to plan my excursions. This lets me know the trail’s length, difficulty, and any requirements for visiting.

In early September, temperatures got up to 30C/80F. The evenings were cool, around 12C/54F.

We stayed at this charming Airbnb cottage in Dunsmiur, about 10 minutes away from Mt.Shasta.

Brunch at Lily’s Cafe is tasty, but expect a 20-30 minute wait on weekends. I was not impressed with the food anywhere else.

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As always,

thank you for reading!

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Same Footprints, Different Sands