Shasta Trip Report ( Video Documentary)

[Ryan Commons]

Hey All,

I climbed Mt. Shasta back in May and finally finished a 20 minute video: Summiting the Volcano

I tried to give prospective climbers a sense of what it is like to go up the popular and least technical route: Avalanche Gulch.

Hope you enjoy,

Ryan

[Andy Berner]

That has got to be the best video that I have seen. Loved the intro and the ending. Actually the entire thing. Very well put together.

I can not wait for my next trip to the mountains now.

[Ryan Commons]

Thanks Andy, I feel really lucky that I got those shots that fill the last three minutes. Super lucky.

[Ryan Tucker]

Thanks for sharing. It was awesome. What a descent.

[Nathan V]

WOW, great video, thanks for sharing. It's cool to see things like this while I'm sitting here recovering from heart surgery.

[Jay Wilkerson]

Excellent stuff Ryan,very enjoyable!!–Great tunes too…
BPL needs more trip reports like that.

[Ryan Bowlby]

Too funny, just a few days ago I did a keyword search on Vimeo for "backpacking" then sorted by popularity. I ended up watching "Winter is coming – 7 days on the JMT" and thought it was awesome (glowing bear eyes haha). This one's just as great and I'm not surprised you're on BPL either.

Really enjoyed it thanks!

[Nick Gatel]

I really enjoyed it. Amazing what someone can do with one of these compact cameras.

[David W.]

Ryan,

Fantastic video! How did you get the shots during the Glasade? It appears you filmed yourself.

[Steven Evans]

WOW…I want to thank you for putting that together for us. I wasn't sure I was going to watch it end to end, but I did and I enjoyed every minute of it. I couldn't stop smiling during the glissade at the end. That whole video was so well put together, the only bad thing is that now I know how crappy my videos are. Keep up the good work!

[Trevor Wilson]

Yes, absolutely amazing video. I'd definitely love to find out how you filmed the glissade. Do you by chance have a gear list for your trip? That would be great to see too. Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience and put this video together!

[Colin Matthews]

That video was INSANE man! Extremely well put together and I dug the tunes. I had goosebumps watching the ending, definitely makes you wanna get out there!
Cheers!

[Ryan Commons]

Nathan,

Hope you get well soon. Thanks for watching the movie.

Ryan

[Ryan Commons]

David & Trevor,

I did the glissading video with a 5ft long monopod. If you ever use a light weight camera, it is very easy to do self video and self portraits with a monopod. The trick is to test it before you use it in action:
* Adjust the angle of the camera so that it barely leaves out the monopod.
* Test the angle you need to make sure you are in the video (otherwise it is easy to film/photo the top of your head).

The monopod gives really stable shots for skiing, glissading, biking, etc.

Hope you enjoy and thanks for watching the video.

Best,

RSC

[Philip]

Ryan,

Great video. Loved the section of the video with the glissade.

[Ryan Commons]

Trevor,

Here is my gear list for Shasta (all that I remember):

Food Prep:
* Dragonfly Stove
* Two MSR white gas fuel bottles
* Large pot with pan lid
* Two bowls with sporks

Group Gear:
* Pueblo Black Diamond Tent
* Snow Shovel
* Sweetwater Purification Drops
* Lots of food

Personal
* 85 liter backpack
* Ice axe
* Crampons
* Ski Poles
* Helmet
* Plastic boots
* Gaiters
* Soft shell pants
* Warm long underwear
* Glissading pants
* Soft shell jacket
* Down Jacket
* Warm Cap
* Sun Cap
* Goggles
* Glasses
* Long Sleeve Shirt
* Glove Liners and Shells
* Camera
* Monopod
* Journal
* Sunscreen
* Chapstick
* Two Nalgene bottles
* Two warm socks
* Headlamp

[Bob Gross]

It looks like somebody from the Benjamin Tang School (no TP).

That's UL, I guess.

–B.G.–

[Trevor Wilson]

Thanks for posting your gear list and the info on the monopod.

Did you think it was necessary to have plastic double boots for the climb or do you think you could be comfortable in leather mountaineering boots?

[Ryan Commons]

Bob, I don't use TP and when I drink my coffee, I throw coffee grits in my teeth and then pour boiling water through my teeth-strainer. Sometimes I eat the grits after. J/K, I forgot the TP and had to beg Mark for some.

Trevor, I got my plastic boots 10 years ago and they still work great. If I'm on snow, I always use them. Here is why: I've seen fit climbers with very cold feet turn around on Shasta and similar mountains. They would have summited if they had warmer boots. Most people can climb it with leather, but a few have problems with their foot circulation or the low temperature causing "unbearable" pain in their toes. If you go with leather, take time to make sure you have room for circulation to your toes, error to the side of having your legs too warm on summit day, be careful about too thick of socks, try walking in the boots on a treadmill at a 15 degree angle at 2 MPH for 30 minutes.

Trevor, are you headed up there this summer?

RSC

[Trevor Wilson]

I don't have any plans to head up Shasta yet but I do have aims to do climbing trip soon. I am hoping to move to Switzerland later this summer or fall (keeps getting delayed) so I will hopefully have many opportunities over the next couple of years to climb.

I ask about the boots though because I recently purchased a pair of leather boots on a great sale. I have only walked on a treadmill in them once but I will take your advice and do 30 minutes at 15 deg. Is that primarily to determine if I have fit or circulation issues?

Thanks again!

[Ryan Commons]

100% for circulation issues. The angle helps identify the issue if it is there. Switzerland = Sweeeeet!

[Bob Gross]

Of the many times that I climbed Shasta in the spring, over twenty of those times I was wearing Asolo Snowfield Cross-Country ski boots. Since they are for winter skiers, they are fairly thick and waterproofed mid-high boots. They flex a little like a hiking boot, and they have a standard vibram sole for tread. The only trick is that it has a 3-pin nordic toe, so you have to make sure that your crampons fit. Then high-top gaiters will keep your boots warmer and dryer.

–B.G.–

[Joe O’Toole]

I really enjoyed that. very well put together.

edit:
music credits would be nice. for us and the musicians!

[Ryan Commons]

Joseph,

I'll get the Music credits in there. Thanks for the feedback and encouragement.

Best,

Ryan

[Tom Clark]

Ryan,
Another great trip report with photos & music. Thanks for putting in the time/effort and sharing with us!
Tom

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