Trail Challenge 2025 – Check Out Girard Ridge!

Girard Ridge provides spectacular vistas for those who can make the bumpy drive up and it’s featured this year on the Mount Shasta Trail Challenge!

Follow Girard Ridge Rd up until it intersects the ridge and find a place to park out of the path of possible logging trucks. The road is unpaved and fairly rough. 4wd is not necessary but some ground clearance would help. Takes about 30 minutes.

There has been quite a bit of logging up here that has opened up some views but can also be unsightly. Compare the older clear cuts and slash piles with the newer selective thinning and mastication.

This trail is a shady forest road that rolls along the ridge with nice views to the East. Easy wide path appropriate for bike or hike. Where the world-famous Pacific Crest Trail crosses over the ridge is a good place to turn around. If you’re lucky you may even meet a thru hiker that has come from another country to enjoy what we have in our own backyard.

Dogs are ok. Cell phone service is a little sketchy. Tough access makes this a quiet trail if you want some solitude. AllTrails may help for this out of the way trail: click

Whatever you do, don’t miss the incredible views from the old Girard Lookout Tower. Look directly across at the imposing Castle Crags or North to Mount Shasta and you can quickly see why a fire lookout tower was placed here. If you brought a lunch with you this is the place to enjoy it!

Check out the great Girard Ridge sticker and get all the info you need for the always free Mount Shasta Trail Challenge at this link.

Why Do We Put in So Many Signs?

To make the trails safe and easy to traverse, but also as part of our agreement with the state granting agency.

We got a bunch more signs installed today, including some that were eaten by animals, vandalized by human animals, or that had deteriorated.

CLARIFICATION: EVEN THOUGH WE’RE INSTALLING SIGNPOSTS ON MAGMA AND DEADWOOD, THESE NEW TRAILS ARE NOT FULLY COMPLETED AND HAVEN’T BEEN SURVEYED BY THE USFS. CONSEQUENTLY, THEY ARE NOT YET OPEN.

Trail Workday this Saturday, May 10 at 9 am

Hey, I know that installing signs isn’t as sexy as building or improving trails, but we have to do it so people don’t get lost in Gateway. So get off your duffs and help us this Saturday. Good news is that we’ll be pounding in most of the steel posts and for the ones needing concrete, we’ll just pour in the dry mix and add water (no mixing).

It’s an opportunity to see the top or bottom of some of the new trails (Magma, Deadwood, Strawberry Valley). Much of the work can be done near vehicles and there will be some short hikes. We really need about a half dozen volunteers. We’ll meet at the Gateway Trailhead (Everitt Memorial Hwy ½ mile above the high school) at 9 am.

Let’s go, eh?

We Didn’t Need No Stinkin’ Raincoats at Faery Falls

It looked it could be a wet day at Faery Falls Saturday, but eight of us went anyway. We cut some drainages, widened the trail, and made some dicey spots a little safer.  I don’t think a drop of rain fell on us. We did get a lot of “thank yous” from about 30 hikers who passed us on their way to the falls, which were running high. Thanks to Taylor Cole (US Forest Service), Bryson Schreder and Renee Casterline (Siskiyou Outdoor Recreation Alliance) for scouting the job and directing us. The intrepid volunteers included Eric Blomberg, Brian Ellis, Isajah Roggow, and Mike Hupp. Photos show the narrow trail, cutting into the hillside to widen it, and moving a large boulder to create a handhold.

Reminder: Faery Falls volunteer work day Sat., April 26 at 8:30 am at the USFS Office

Come one, come all: we’ll be gathering at the US Forest Service Office (204 W. Alma St., Mt. Shasta) at 8:30 am this Saturday, April 26. After a short sign in and safety talk, we’ll carpool to Ney Springs and walk to Faery Falls, where we’ll work to make the trail there safer and easier for hikers. I guess we’ll wrap up by noon.

Volunteers of all abilities are welcome; stay only as long as you want. Just come and say, “Hello,” and we’ll be happy. I got the tools. Jim: no trouble, OK?

Strawberry Valley Trail is Clear

An unidentified stealth member of the MSTA chainsaw crew snuck up onto Strawberry Valley Trail this afternoon and removed all the obstructing trees, then moved to the Howard access road and got the two big ones there. Happy riding and be ready to help with our trails soon!

Trail Work Day at Faery Falls on Sat, April 26

For all you impatient trail workers, we’re getting our plans in order for some great trail work this spring and summer. In conjunction with the USFS, the first outing will be to work on the Faery Falls Trail to make it safer and easier. More details will be coming in the next few days, but I suspect we’ll meet in front of the USFS Office on Alma St. next Saturday, April 26 at about 8:30, then carpool near to Faery Falls (about a 10-15 minute drive). 

Trail Challenge Stickers Are Here!

The 2025 Mount Shasta Trail Challenge sticker sheets are here and once again our local partners and sponsors at Dragon Graphics have hit it out of the park!

These custom stickers are chock full of local specificity but the only way you can get them are by completing 6 of the 12 trails on this year’s challenge. Show your accomplishment and local pride by displaying these on your water bottle, laptop, or wherever. As always, the Trail Challenge and these stickers are totally FREE!!

Which sticker is your favorite? Is it the historic Gerard Lookout or the Ranger on Sisson’s Trail? Maybe you like one of the bike themed stickers? Castle Crags Vista Point has a great shape but so does Miners Humbug. They are even several for our younger trail challengers! Tell us what you think in the comments below.

Get your Trail Challenge passport and more information here.

FYI- Everitt Memorial Highway has just reopened to Bunny Flat if you want to check out Strawberry Valley and Lemurian Delirium.

2025 Trail Challenge – The Waterfalls are Roaring!

Choose your own adventure!   The 2025 Mount Shasta Trail Challenge lets you choose between biking the Upper McCloud River or hiking the 3 McCloud waterfalls.  The recent rainfall and snowmelt are making for an incredible show!!

You may have to park closer to the highway until the campground opens but that extra bit of hiking just means less crowds.  The waterfall trail still has patches of snow on it and a few trees down but it’s passable for hiking.  Dog on leash friendly and trail closer to parking paved for wheelchair and baby strollers.  

We know you are anxious to see the 2025 Trail Challenge sticker sheet and the reveal is almost here.  In the meantime…THANK YOU to the trail challenge mega fan who donated a dozen custom water bottles at the Mount Shasta Visitor Center.  The first twelve trail challengers completing 6 of the 12 featured trails get dibs.  

Download your always free Mount Shasta Trail Challenge passport here.