3. South Gate Meadows, Everitt Memorial Highway
The 14-mile Everitt Memorial Highway ends at the Old Ski Bowl, formerly the Mt. Shasta Ski Bowl. An avalanche took down several chairlift towers at this ski spot in the 1970s. Today, little of the property’s infrastructure remains, excluding a few notable service roads that branch away from the parking area.
The Old Ski Bowl is at an elevation of approximately 7,800 feet, well above the treeline, offering unique high-alpine views right from the start. This high-altitude trailhead makes for a short hiking season, typically starting in late June or even later during high snow years.
South Gate Meadows is a popular trek from the Old Ski Bowl area, offering an approximately two-mile one-way trek. The route heads east and crosses a small divide within the first half-mile, adding to the total of 1,000 feet of elevation gain on the four-mile round trip. Along the way are dominating views of the southern flanks of Shasta and the nearby Red Butte.
4. Black Butte Trail
Black Butte is the prominent conical peak less than three miles northwest of the City of Mt. Shasta. It’s commonly spotted when driving around town or passing by on Interstate 5. And despite its rocky slab and steep composition, a challenging 2.5-mile trail leads to the top of this outstanding volcanic landform.
Hikers access the Black Butte Trail from dirt roads branching off the Everitt Memorial Highway. A few signs point to the trailhead, but it helps to have a map or GPS to navigate. And upon reaching the small parking area, it’s nothing but uphill to the summit.
The trail gains over 1,800 feet in less than three miles. And much of the route traverses the scree field that defines Black Butte’s upper slopes. This steepness and rocky approach make the hike a challenging endeavor. Plan for between 3-5 hours for the approximately 5.2-mile round trip.
