This post is part 2 of our family weekend in the snow. If you didn’t catch Part 1, you can find it here.
After our fun day at Mt. Ashland Ski Area, the rest of the boys showed up and on Saturday and Sunday we hit Mt. Shasta Ski Park.
It snowed both days. We never saw the sun except a little bit late Sunday afternoon. It didn’t matter. The snow was wonderful, the powder was fluffy and the family time was immeasurable.
It had been many years since I skied with all three of my boys. This weekend I got to do it with Grandson #1 in tow as well as the girlfriends. I used to spend a lot of time on this mountain while my kids were in high school especially for the couple of years that I was the assistant ski/board coach. However, up until this year I hadn’t been back on skis since.
And what a year to do it. There hasn’t been as much snow on this mountain in quite a long time. It is amazing!
Mt. Shasta may not compare to the likes of Mammoth and the resorts in Lake Tahoe – which Son #3 and girlfriend MM – are used to, or Bend – which Son #1 and girlfriend LR are used to, however, it is home and it has all the amenities one could want with a hometown smaller mountain feel.
For only being on his board a few times previously, Grandson #1’s skill took off this weekend and he did pretty good keeping up with his dad and uncles. He couldn’t manage the deep powder and stayed out of the trees (unlike the adult boys), but he had no problem zipping down the trails. And once he experienced Coyote (the lift to the more expert trails), that is all he wanted to go on. I think we have a snow bunny on our hands. Of course, could it be any different? He does have that blood in him!
If you have never been to Mt. Shasta Ski Park, you really ought to give it a go. Especially this year when the snow conditions are back where they should be.
Mt. Shasta Ski Park has three lifts that take you do different parts of the mountain, as well as 2 moving carpet lifts for the littles and the tubers. The Marmot chairlift takes you up to the beginner to intermediate trails. There are many really nice long trails from this lift, perfect for that beginner skier or boarder. This lift also gives you access to the Silver Tip Terrain Park. It is a smaller park with smaller rails, boxes and snow features for those younger park riders or those just starting out in a terrain park. You can ride all the way back down to the lodge and get back on the same lift or scoot over to the Douglas chairlift.
The Douglas lift takes you to the intermediate to expert runs. At the top of this lift there is also Black Diamond Grill where you can get yourself a burger and probably a cold drink. This was not open when we were there but would be an awesome place to hang out in for a bit on a clear day when the awesome views would be present. From the top of this lift there are several trail options to choose from. From here you can also access the more advanced Revolution Terrain Park. Halfway down the mountain you can jump onto the Coyote chairlift if you desire and go up to the highest part of the ski park which sits at 6880′.
It seems like you are so high up when you get there because you have to ski down 1435 vertical feet to get back to the lodge. But then you turn around and see another 7285 vertical feet of mountain that you don’t get to ski on. Mt. Shasta peaks at 14,165 feet and the ski park is on just a portion of it.
There are some awesome trails and runs from the Coyote lift. A lot of powder and trees to go through. Mostly expert runs with a few intermediate ones. You can get to the Revolution Terrain Park from here as well. On the way down you can stop and get back on the Coyote lift if you choose or keep going to the bottom and get on either the Marmot or Douglas lifts – or take a break at the lodge and enjoy a snack.
Some specs from their website here: Mt. Shasta Ski Park has 425 acres of skiable terrain accessible by 3 triple chair lifts and 2 moving carpet lifts. There are 32 trails which encompass 1435 vertical feet and an average of 275″ of annual snowfall.
The ski park has multiple locations to grab some food, both upstairs in the lodge or downstairs in the courtyard. You can hang out in the lodge for a bit and eat your lunch and warm up your body, or visit the adjacent full bar to grab your favorite beverage. There is also an outdoor patio with lots of tables and chairs and a fire pit to warm up by. They have equipment rentals for those in need and a small gift shop with all sorts of nice things from socks to souvenirs.
Mt. Shasta Ski Park is definitely a family friendly mountain. Plan your trip soon as the snow is great and Spring is right around the corner.
Although three days skiing kicked my butt, we had a fabulous time. I love spending time with my family and you can’t ask for more than spending it on the snow where everybody has a great time. More smiles that can’t be beat!
