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Trail Challenge – Cool Hike and Walk with a Doc

The seasonal bridges just went up and the Lake Siskiyou Loop is a perfect trail for these hot temperatures. The 2025 Mount Shasta Trail Challenge once again features one of our favorite trails and it’s easy to see why. Stunning views of Lake Siskiyou and Mount Shasta. The iconic Wagon Creek bridge and Box Canyon Dam. Nearly a perfect 10k, 6.5 miles, around the lake. Several access points with plenty of parking. Dogs on leash are ok. Plenty of restrooms. Kids love this trail and can even pick up an ice cream at the Lake Siskiyou Resort. The trail is fairly flat and has many paved sections making it a great one for strollers and mobility devices.

If you’re waiting to dip your toe into the Trail Challenge, then we have an excellent opportunity for you next week. Dignity Health has recently started a “Walk with a Doc” series and the featured trail on July 16 is a 2 mile walk on the Lake Siskiyou Trail to the Wagon Creek Bridge. Here is a perfect opportunity to get your Trail Challenge off to a safe start. Yes, completing this shortened version of the Lake Siskiyou Loop checks this trail off your Trail Challenge Passport.

The Mount Shasta Trail Challenge is always FREE and you can get your passport and all the information you need right here.

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2025 Trail Challenge – Spring Hill Update and More!

Well Trail Challengers, there is both good and not so good news from the featured trail on Spring Hill. The good news is the trail is open again and the firefighting efforts kept the fire almost entirely off the trail. The not so good news is the middle half of the trail is now one dozer blade wide, and the ridge is pretty bare. Surprisingly, the byproduct of these control lines are some much improved views along the trail and ridge.

Check it out and see for yourself. The trail is safe and has been released for use by Mount Shasta PD but watch your footing as dozers have upended rocks and roots. The surface is pretty loose and very dusty. Try to stay on the original tread of the trail and then take the Rocky Point loop near the top. Avoid hot afternoons as a lot of the shade is now gone. If you like hiking with dogs take extra caution as the surface will get hot for their paws. If you want to skip Spring Hill on the challenge this year you can replace it by walking a nice big circuit around Mount Shasta City Park just across the street!

Speaking of hiking with dogs here are a couple great new programs. Right next to Spring Hill is the Siskiyou Humane Society where they have a wonderful “Doggy Field Trip” program. The Mount Shasta Visitor Center right in downtown has a fun new “Bark Ranger” program to check out.

Lastly, the Lake Siskiyou seasonal bridges just went up last week and you can now do the full loop for the Trail Challenge.

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Kickass Day in the Forest

After arriving at the Nordic Center, eating donuts, sharing some MSTA swag, and suffering through my boring safety talk, we split into four teams. Pat Titus and Tim Loughlin (pronounced Locklin, dammit) generously offered to take the hazard tree, the worst access road, and the climb up Everitt Hill (thus sparing my vehicle and my decrepit knees). Bryson Schreder and Rick Cory went southwest to cut the biggest trees (see photo). Renee Casterline, Christine Lewin, Jim Wrona, Arielle Saryon, and Eric Blomberg set out to rake and lop the northwest section of Huckleberry Loop. Brian Ellis and yours truly focused on downed trees north and just south of Road 31. The morning was cool and beautiful. Everything got finished by or before 12:30 (oh, and we added some new signs as well).

Too bad you missed it. We had fun and got dirty. I mean actually dirty, not the other thing.

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Trail Workday this Thursday, June 19 at 8:30 am

I’m scheduling trail workdays until everyone hates me. But now is the time to get things done before it’s 105 degrees and bone dry. So let’s get after it.

Let’s meet again up at the Nordic Center this Thursday, June 19 at 8:30 am. We’ll split the volunteers into two groups: sawyers and swampers will drive (or bike, we’re not sure and we’ll let you know before Thur) to the many downed trees in the Learning Zone; the second group will walk up Huckleberry Loop to finish treadwork and lop “face-slapping” branches out of the trail.

Bring water (don’t forget) and a snack. Maybe there will be some MSTA hats and t shirts for those who show up(???). Stay only as long as you want, but in any case, I expect to be done by or before noon.

OH, I ALMOST FORGOT THE GOOD NEWS: THE LEARNING ZONE HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE USFS FOR US TO START HIKING, BIKING, ETC.!

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Great day yesterday on the trail

Hey, 13 of us attacked the rough trail in the Learning Zone Saturday, smoothing it and lopping out branches. We completed ½ mile in 2 hours! It was like the road crew in Cool Hand Luke.

We’re planning another workday this Thursday, June 19 to buff up a couple other segments and cut out some downed trees. 

More info to follow tomorrow.

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Kiosk Done. Need Work in Learning Zone

Hey, gang, we got the kiosk done at Vista Point. The arguing and fighting was minimal because Steve Larson was adjudicating. Thanks to Steve, Mark Derby, John Kelly, Isaiah Roggow, Bryson Schreder, Renee Casterline and new trail crew member, Arielle Saryon.

We have a segment of Huckleberry Loop in the Learning Zone to rake out this Saturday and need a bunch of volunteers. It’s fun to work with a large group (you can lean on your rake and talk about anything except politics and your bad decisions in life). OK, you can confess your bad decisions, just try to keep it clean.

Meet in the Nordic Center parking lot at 8:30 and we’ll drive a very short distance to the work site. Leave whenever you like. Bring water and a snack.

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Trail Challenge Updates

June brings both challenges and opportunities to several 2025 Mount Shasta Trail Challenge trails. Don’t let these challenges hold you back!  Take advantage of the opportunities!!

Greenhorn Park, including the Miners/Humbug Loop: CalFire is planning a prescribed burn June 2-13 which will affect the trail network. Wait until this work is done and then go to check out all it has to offer. There are hiking and biking trails, surprisingly lush lawns, and even fishing! This park is the gem of Yreka and was featured in a recent article: Link

Spring Hill Trail: On May 21st there was a 12-acre fire that burned up the Northwest aspect.  Mount Shasta Police are asking trail users to avoid the area while it is being rehabilitated.

Kangaroo Lake Trail: Trail users just started reporting that the snow is mostly cleared and the trail is open. Nearby trails like the Fen Nature Trail and the PCT may still be impacted.

Siskiyou Lake Loop: The seasonal bridge is NOT yet in place due to heavy snow melt.  You can of course do an out and back to check this one off your list.  

Sisson Callahan Trail: Trail work led by the USFS is scheduled for June 7 which is National Trails Day. What an excellent opportunity to volunteer if you are unfamiliar with this trail. RSVP    taylor.cole2@usda.gov 

MX Trail: This little piece of trail will see a lot of action on June 14 and should be avoided. The Mount Shasta Gromduro youth mountain bike event would be fun to volunteer at https://youthmtbcollective.org/shasta-gromduro

Greenhorn Park View
Greenhorn Park Coolness
Greenhorn Park Lake
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Two Important Work Days for Trail Crew

Trail Crew:

I’d love to see the usual suspects as well as some new people who’ve recently signed up for our trail crew show up for two important days out on Gateway.

  1. On Friday, June 6, at 8:30 am, we’ll meet at the Vista Point on Everitt Memorial Hwy (about 3.5 miles above McBride Springs Campground) to install the last large kiosk. Trail Labs dug the hole, so there’s no backbreaking digging, OK? We’ll place the posts, argue and have fistfights over just how to level everything, then mix and pour concrete. Finally, we fill the hole. Very fun. You won’t even believe how much you’ll enjoy it. The paved turnout is on the right side of the road and we’ll have orange tape hanging at the site. Come and do something or do nothing but talk.
  2. On Saturday, June 14, at 8:30 am, we’re meeting at the Nordic Center (Ski Park Hwy just below the Ski Park) to buff up a segment of the Learning Zone that needs some final love before the whole section opens for hiking and riding. We need a big crew to get this done, so round up your friends and neighbors. I promise no arguing or fighting, just calm rake work and getting to meet new people who dig (no pun intended) trails. We have the tools. You bring your muscles, gloves, water, and snack!

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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.

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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.