when you set out to bike up 3,000+ vertical feet and then mountaineer another 7,200’, all before a storm sets in, you better be ready for it! Make sure you look at my photos on Strava.
This route starts from the base of the Everitt Memorial Highway where it intersects Rockfellow Dr.
You then bike the 11 miles up to Bunny Flat Trailhead and climb whichever route up Shasta you think you can do the Fastest.
As I said, I was attempting to beat a storm. If you look at my photos in Strava, you can tell ...I DIDN’T!
Insane temperature drop and 40+mph winds left my beard frozen and GET this...
My hydration bladder froze in my bag... not just the tube... the whole bladder... I have never experienced anything like it. As I was only exposed to the insane cold from the top of Red Banks through ”short hill” and “misery ridge” then it was a bit lesser on the summit plateau and final summit block.
Insane.
Even as I write this, my nose doesn’t feel right.
Meh, still better than Netflix.
Can it go faster?
My legs were tired from training this week so I could not pedal hard. I lost about 10-15 minutes on the bike to what I should have been able to do. I locked my myself out of the van during transition, losing about 25 minutes until I found my spare key (wasn’t where it should have been). Then the conditions on the mountain were pretty fast, but not optimal in the upper mountain, add in the insane cold and wind up high and I climbed in 3:50 while my best is 2:39
So I think this route can go a full 90-100 minutes faster!!!
It is a fun day out! A worthwhile way to experience the mountain. I would love to see someone come up with a mountain bike variation on the new trails coming in. I would also like to see an on foot ascent from town.
Gear:
- Ultimate Direction SCRAM Pack: really loving this pack for the mountain attacks, the one hand deploy for the ice axe is a rad feature. could use bigger front storage though. https://ultimatedirection.com/scram/
- 2014 Giant Defy Endurance Road Bike: this bike is a decent entry level bike but with the endurance geometry and 105 components it certainly doesn't snap up the climbs like my old racing bike from the cycling days. but hey, I got it for $500 bucks a few weeks ago, and you make due with what you can...Anybody know a bike company looking to break into the FKT scene? ...this won't be my last "bike + mountain"
- Tailwind Nutrition: Mandarin Orange mixed to 900 calories in 2 liters of water. All you need all day...unless it freezes in your bag lol! I do think the Tailwind saved my bladder from freezing solid, it was just a very very thick slushy so I was able to still drink some of the mix, which was a saving grace when your hydration and calories are mixed.
- Black Diamond aluminum telescoping trekking poles
- Altra Running Lone Peak 4 Mid RSM: unsatisfied that this is the 3rd time I wore these and one of the sides blew out. will be looking to return and try the La Sportiva Blizzards
- Black Diamond Wind Hood Softshell Glove: I like the deployable wind mitt for warmth. want to try Ultimate Direction's new glove like this that also covers the thumb.
- Grivel walking ice axe
- Layers: mountain hardware outer shell, la sportiva hybrid down, outdoor research sun hoody, tech shirt, old biking stuff...
- Celebrated the finish with a Sufferfest Brewing: "FKT Beer" will be starting to celebrate more of these with Athletic Brewing's Non-Alcoholic product line ( https://athleticbrewing.com/ ) to not tie alcohol consumption so closely to athletic success. Its a small thing, but sometimes, the small things matter a lot to some people!!!