Author: John Schuyler

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Trail Challenge: Ready. Set. Go!!

The 2024 7th Annual Mount Shasta Trail Challenge is off and running.   Or hiking.  Or biking.  Or XC skiing!!

This year our theme is water and all the waterfalls, lakes, and rivers of the Mount Shasta area.  Timing could not be better as the lakes are filling, the rivers are raging, and the waterfalls are roaring.  Seriously, the rivers really are raging right now so use extra caution and avoid any storm damaged or eroded trails.

There are quite a few trails new to the Challenge and of course discovering new trails is part of the fun.   Check them all out on the brand new 2024 Passport.   Download your own passport at https://mountshastatrailassociation.org/mt-shasta-trail-challenge/  to get started.  All the instructions you need are on the Passport.

This year we feature some incredible swag for at least the first 100 finishers.  An RTIC water bottle and a complete set of awesome 12 trail specific stickers from our partners at Dragon Graphics.

As always, the Mount Shasta Trail Challenge is open to all and FREE of charge thanks to our generous sponsors and thoughtful donors.

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Take a Sneak Peek at the 2024 Trail Challenge!

The kickoff of the 2024 Mount Shasta Trail Challenge is imminent, but until then here’s an exciting sneak peek!

Our partners at Dragon Graphics have created a complete set of custom, trail specific stickers for you to show your pride of completion.   Finish just 6 of these 12 trails and get the whole awesome collection.   Not available anywhere else or for sale, these are only for Trail Challenge finishers.  A big THANK YOU to Dragon Graphics of Chico, CA who donated all of their time and design expertise to produce these great stickers.  

Look closely and you’ll recognize at least some of the trails that are part of the 7th annual Trail Challenge.   The Mount Shasta Trail Challenge is all season so feel free to get started!  This rainy weather is an incredible opportunity to see a roaring waterfall or strap on your snowshoes to see a higher elevation trail.  Start slow on an easy trail or be adventurous and check out a trail new to you.   

Feel free to share in the comments which sticker you like best!  Look for the official kickoff announcement and passport to be posted on this site very soon.

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Thank You Giving Tuesday Donors!

Thank you, to our Mount Shasta Trail Association community, and all those that included us in your Giving Tuesday plans. We are eternally grateful for your generous show of support.

The results are in and you were incredibly generous — we met our $30,000 goal! We saw 144 donors participate in Giving Tuesday. We will invest these funds in on-the-ground multi-use trail projects. Thank you again and may you have a wonderful holiday season!

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Support Trails This Giving Tuesday

It has been an extraordinary year for the Trail Association as we expand the Gateway Trail system. We still need your help to get all 46 miles of new trail and 5 trailheads across the finish line!

Please consider donating to MSTA on Giving Tuesday this November 28th. As an all-volunteer organization, 98% of donations are invested in on-the-ground projects.

The Community Foundation of the North State will be awarding different non-profits monetary prizes throughout the day on Tuesday, so donations made between 6:00 AM and 8:00 PM increase MSTA’s chances of getting an additional $1,000 or more!

Here’s the link for donations: click

Your support is what makes our work possible!

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Rick Cory Joins MSTA Board of Directors

Life is Good

The Mount Shasta Trail Association is pleased to announce that Rick Cory has joined its Board of Directors.

Rick grew up in Burlingame in the San Francisco Bay Area and graduated from San Jose State in 1989 with a degree in Fire Protection Engineering.   He was backpacking across Europe when the Loma Prieta earthquake occurred and brought him home.

He worked for 30 years for the Fremont Fire Department, retiring in 2021 as a Division Chief.  He worked extensively on wildland mutual aid as a Strike Team Leader and Safety Officer and responded several times to the Mount Shasta area.  Rick is very proud of his  work with FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 4 and especially their 3-week response to Hurricane Katrina with nearly 1000 rescues.

His first introduction to this incredible area was in 1998 when (girlfriend at the time) Luce and Rick took one of their first trips together visiting Mossbrae Falls.  In 2010 they purchased a home across the street from his cousin in Dunsmuir.   They taught all of their 4 children to ski at the Mt Shasta Ski Park and how to fish in the Sacramento River.   One of his very favorite things to do is a long bike ride ending at the Dunsmuir brewpub.

Rick has watched with anticipation since 2015 as the new Gateway II trail network developed and has loved every minute working with the volunteer crews building trail.  Rick is also proud to have completed every Mount Shasta Trail Challenge since its inception in 2018 and is excited to now help continue this great program.

Luce and Rick look forward to many years mountain biking, snow shoeing, skiing, and hiking with their dogs in this beautiful area.

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Let the Trail Challenge Be Your Fall Color Guide

Autumn colors are exploding in the Mount Shasta area and it’s a perfect time to finish your 2023 Mount Shasta Trail Challenge passport! Hedge Creek Falls trail is a short easy trail that passes UNDER and BEHIND Hedge Creek Falls! Get a great view of the Sacramento River from the scenic lookout or continue all the way down to the rivers edge. Easy access and parking right off I-5 in Dunsmuir. Dogs and kids will love it. Bonus Karma for picking up trash left by others.

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Here’s a chance to do TWO trails on the Mount Shasta Trail Challenge!

First off, the Spring Hill Trail is a great moderate hike with some elevation right off I-5 and downtown Mt Shasta. There is an Instagram ready view of Mount Shasta on the way up and views of Black Butte and Castle Crags from the summit. Dogs are OK, bikes are not, and kids will love it:)

Secondly, Mount Shasta City Park offers 2 miles of easy trail. The headwaters of the Sacramento River are are a great place to cool down after your hike! The headwaters are a very special place. Another option is to hike the City Park before tackling the moderate hike up Spring Hill.

Still a few months to finish the 2023 Mount Shasta Trail Challenge! Check out these and all the other great Mt Shasta area hikes on the Trail Guide tab of the MSTA website here.

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Trail Challenge 2023 — Check out the McCloud River Trail

Looking for a great trail that has something for everyone? How about the McCloud River trail on the Mount Shasta Trail Challenge! THREE waterfalls, swimming holes, tall trees, campgrounds, fishing spots, and dogs are OK. This trail is ADA accessible around the trailheads and otherwise mostly flat and easy. There’s still time to download and finish the 2023 Trail Challenge!!

Check out the Trail Challenge here.