Where to Stay in Siskiyou County’s “South County”

If you’re planning to visit Siskiyou County this fall to enjoy our spectacular fall foliage and crisp cool mornings followed by warm Autumn afternoons… you’ll need a place to stay. Our county is very large geographically and provides many great opportunities for gorgeous fall drives.

In addition to national chain hotels like Best Western, Holiday Inn Express and Comfort Inn, Siskiyou County has a handful of unique, specialty lodging establishments that aren’t to be missed. Here are two “South County” lodging options for your next visit…

McCloud River Inn ($99 per night - $199 per night)
Located in historic McCloud, the McCloud River Inn transports you back in time with it’s picturesque peaked roof lines and Victorian charm. The McCloud River Inn is a Nationally Registered Historic Inn within walking distance of historic downtown McCloud. For more information about the Inn please visit them online at www.riverinn.com.

Mount Shasta Resort ($99 per night - $319 per night)
Nestled at the foot of majestic Mt. Shasta the Mount Shasta Resort is a beautiful resort with all the amenities you can ask for. An 18-hole golf course, day spa, dining and breathtaking views. It’s the perfect location for romance and quiet solitude to unwind and relax. For more information about the resort visit them online at www.mountshastaresort.com.

Wherever you stay during your visit in Siskiyou County you’re sure to encounter warm, friendly hospitality and a memorable experience.  For more information on lodging options and fall/winter activities please contact one of the local Chambers of Commerce. They’ll be able to provide you with great resources when planning your next visit to the top of California and historic Siskiyou County.

The 23rd Annual Mt. Shasta Police Department Car Show & Shine is this Saturday

As the summer winds down Siskiyou County residents and visitors always look forward to Cool Mountain Nights and the assortment of Labor Day activities in the gorgeous city of Mt. Shasta. This year’s 23rd Annual Mt. Shasta Police Department Car Show & Shine will take place this Saturday, September 3rd in downtown Mt. Shasta. For those wishing to exhibit please contact the Mt. Shasta Police Department to register as space is limited to 175 vehicles.

Attendees will enjoy food vendors, music and sidewalk sales downtown in addition to admiring the beautiful cars in this year’s show.

For more information please contact the Mt. Shasta Police Department by calling 530-926-7540 or email them at [email protected].

Don’t miss the other exciting activities and events that are happening in Mt. Shasta this weekend including the Blackberry Music Festival on Sunday as well as the Friday Night BBQ/Cruise. The Cruise starts at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, September 2nd. Cars depart from the Mt. Shasta Little League Park on Everitt Memorial Highway/Rockfellow and end at Shastice Park.  The cruise concludes with a BBQ from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m..

2011 Summer Concerts in the Park Conclude with the Blackberry Music Festival this Sunday

The 2011 Summer Concert Series presented by Scott Valley Bank will conclude with the Blackberry Music Festival this Sunday, September 4th at the Mount Shasta City Park. Part of the annual Cool Mountain Nights and Blackberry Festival, The Blackberry Music Festival will feature three different bands, berry pies, food, games and lots and lots of fun! The Music Festival starts at noon and runs until 6:00 in the evening. This year’s musical guests are Leslie Tift & Tom Scott (Folk/American), Bill Churchill & Friends with Victor Martin (Rock/Blues) and Yogoman Burning Band (Dance/Groove).

For more information about Cool Mountain Nights and the Blackerry Festival visit the Mt. Shasta Chamber online.

Annual Mount Shasta Elks Charity Golf Tournament is Tomorrow!

The 2011 Mount Shasta Elks Annual Charity Golf Tournament takes place tomorrow at the McCloud Golf Club. The tournament starts at 9 a.m. and benefits hospice, Meals on Wheels, the Siskiyou Humane Society and Elks Christmas baskets program.

Cost: $75 per player (four-man scramble)

For more information please call 530.926.2138

Don’t Miss the ShastaYama Taiko Festival this Weekend!

The 7th Annual ShastaYama Taiko Festival will be held this coming Saturday, July 30, 2011 at Shastice Park in Mt. Shasta. While tickets are no longer available online, they will be available at the gate. The show begins at 6 p.m. and gates will open at 5 p.m.. For more information visit ShastaYama online.

If you purchased your tickets online they will be available at will-call.

Ticket Prices:

$25 18 years and up

$20 13 - 17 years

$15 5 - 12 years

4 years and under are free with an adult ticket.

Directions to the Festival:

From I-5, take Central Mt. Shasta Exit 738
Turn East on Lake St. towards the Mountain
Turn Right on Rockfellow
Turn Left on Adams (Park Entrance)

Snow free hiking trails for the 4th of July

Mt. Shasta 4th of July parade

Thanks to our friend John Soares with the Mt. Shasta Trail Association for sharing this info… June 29, 2011

Mount Shasta Fourth of July Events, 2011

Mount Shasta and southern Siskiyou County is a great place to be on the Fourth of July weekend. I know many Mount Shasta Trail Association members live in the area and know all about the fun run, the parade, the fireworks, the music, and the booths, but we also have other members from outside the area and we want those folks to come up here also.

So below is information about hikes you can do this weekend, and also the official schedule of events. (Note that much of this is from a recent post on the Northern California Hiking Trails blog about Mount Shasta Fourth of July events.)

Snow-Free Hiking Trails

Some of the links are from this site, and some are from the Mount Shasta Trail Association (I’m on the board of directors).

Lake Siskiyou Trail. Nearby, flat, and plenty of good swimming opportunities.

Black Butte. Here’s an excerpt from 100 Classic Hikes in Northern California, third edition, on hiking the Black Butte Trail.

Castle Dome Trail/Castle Crags.

More Castle Crags area trails.

McCloud Falls. And more pictures of Lower and Middle McCloud Falls.

Read the rest of this post at the Mt. Shasta Trail Association website…

Mt. Shasta’s 4th of July celebration - can’t wait

Mt. Shasta’s annual Fourth of July celebration is just a week away and the weather is feeling like summer time. It will be a weekend packed with events, with the downtown celebration set for Saturday and Sunday and the Fun Run/Walk, parade, and fireworks on Monday.

The Mt. Shasta Chamber of Commerce heads up the effort to create this wonderful small town event, which includes a street fair, live music and art shows. Mountain Runners puts on the “parade in reverse” Fun Run and Walk, which is a celebration of Independence Day along with family and fitness.

Below is the weekend schedule from the Chamber of Commerce:

Friday July 1st
10:00am – 4:00pm Walk/Run registration & T shirt pick up at the Armory
10:00am – 4:00pm Fiber Arts Show sponsored by the Sisson Museum - open daily –FREE (530) 926-5508

Saturday July 2nd
10:00am – 4:00pm Walk/Run registration & T shirt pick up at the Armory
10:00am – 7:00 pm Mt. Shasta Blvd. & Castle Street Vendors – Crafts & Food Booths
10:00am – 4:00pm Fiber Arts Show sponsored by the Sisson Museum - open daily –FREE (530) 926-5508
10:00am – 7:00pm Live entertainment throughout the street fair: Acrobats, Jugglers, More
On Stage: Jack Tafaro & Trevor Sellman-10am; Last call12pm; Nonessentials-2pm; Blue Relish-4 pm

Sunday July 3rd
10:00am – 4:00pm Walk/Run registration & T shirt pick up at the Armory
10:00am – 5:00pm Mt. Shasta Blvd. & Castle Street Vendors – Crafts & Food Booths
10:00am – 4:00pm Fiber Arts Show sponsored by the Sisson Museum - open daily –FREE (530) 926-5508
10:00am – 7:00pm Live entertainment throughout the street fair: Acrobats, Jugglers, More
On Stage: Therese Condit Swing & Jazz-10am; Sundown Poachers-12pm; Wild Blues Yonder -2pm;
Chick Music -4pm
7:00am – 1:00pm Community Breakfast by the Siskiyou Masonic Lodge #297 at the Mount Shasta Community Building on Alder St. All-you-can-eat, $8 Adults, $3 children.
5:00pm – 10:00pm Corben’s Ride Street Party – 200 Block of Mt. Shasta Blvd. Live music, dancing, entertainment.
5pm-Elvis; 6:30-8pm Chick Music; 8:30-10 Rockit

Monday July 4th
6:30am – 8:00am Register for July 4th Walk/Run & pick up pre-registration packages on Mt. Shasta Blvd.
across from Stage Door
6:30am – 11:00am Pancake Breakfast at St. Anthony’s Parish Hall. $8 adults, $5 kids under 6-All-you-can-eat pancakes, served with eggs, ham, orange juice & coffee.
8:30am Mountain Runners Walk/Run – Castle Street Starting Line
12:00 noon Annual Parade along Mt. Shasta Blvd. “Bears, Bears, Bears and More Bears”
7:00am – 4:00pm Castle Street Vendors – Crafts & Food Booths
12:00pm – 4:00pm Live Entertainment on Castle Street Stage
10:00am – 4:00pm Fiber Arts Show sponsored by the Sisson Museum – open daily

~NO PETS ALLOWED IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA ~ NO PERSONAL FIREWORKS~

————- Fireworks over Lake Siskiyou at around 9:45pm ————-
Mount Shasta Resort Green opens at 4:00pm for Community Appreciation Day.
Live Music: “The Billy’s”~ $2 admission per person will go to Fireworks Fund. Food and drinks available on site.
~ NO COOLERS or PETS or PERSONAL FIREWORKS
Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort: $1. Admission per person ~ NO PETS or PERSONAL FIREWORKS
For more information call the Mt. Shasta Visitors Bureau
530-926-4865 ext 203 or visit www.mtshastachamber.com

BC skiers exhilirated by spring corn in May

Spring skiing and mountaineering is in full tilt on Mount Shasta this year. On May 6th, the Mt. Shasta Fun Guide reported that Mt. Shasta “exceeds its corn expectations” - something backcountry skiers are blissful over. Folks are coming from all over the ski the ridiculous amounts of spring snow on Mt. Shasta and finding sweet conditions. If you’re coming to town, you can find backcountry info and direct experience by visiting The Fifth Season or Shasta Basecamp in Mt. Shasta. Both shops also rent and sell gear for backcountry adventures, from skiing to climbing. Currently the Shasta Basecamp website has a film from a ski mountaineering trip that features footage from a full summit and ski trip on Mt. Shasta (not from this year, there is a lot more snow this year than what you see in the film).

Shasta Mountain Guides and Sierra Wilderness Seminars are getting into full swing with spring mountaineering trips. It’s going to be a long climbing season with all of the snow, but its still good to book your trip early to make sure you get into a trip on snow rather than rock. These companies, as well as Robin Kohn (author of the Fun Guide) provide ski touring packages.

For folks who are considering climbing Mount Shasta or a ski mountaineering trip, you can learn a lot about the endeavor by reading the Shasta Avalanche Advisory site put up by the Forest Service climbing rangers.

Spring skiing on Mt. Shasta is glorious

After receiving 8 feet of snow in town in late March, the conditions on Mount Shasta have been ripe for glorious spring skiing. The snow is deep and folks are reporting spring corn conditions. Shasta Mountain Guides staff have been up enjoying the conditions and supplied the photo at right. SMG and Sierra Wilderness Seminars, the two companies that guide mountaineering trips on the mountain, are looking forward to a great mountaineering season.

If you’re a seasoned backcountry skier now is the time to get in some turns. The staff at The Fifth Season and Shasta Base Camp can give you condition reports, and you can always check the Shasta Avalanche website. Or, local guide Robin Kohn posts trip reports when she’s not out skiing, so check her out as well.

If you’re new to backcountry skiing and want to learn your way around, Shasta Mountain Guides and Sierra Wilderness Seminars offer packages to teach you all about getting out there. Robin Kohn offers guided trips if you’re new to the area and want to learn the terrain.

So what are you waiting for?! Spring skiing is fine!

Mt. Shasta Ski Park extends season for extra weekend in April!

Screamin' or Sinkin'

The snow storm that hit the Mt. Shasta area in late March dumped a ton of new snow at the Mt. Shasta Ski Park. With 22 feet at the top and 10 feet at the base, the Ski Park has decided to extend the season so you all can enjoy all that snow a little bit longer.

Other events scheduled before the close of the season include the Coyote Classic on Saturday, April 9 and Sunday, April 10; the Over the Hill Alpine Races on Saturday, April 9; The Gene Landsmann Alpine Races on Sunday, April 10; The Pond Skim Party on Saturday, April 16; and the Ski, Bike, Run and Paddle on Sunday, April 17.