For anybody visiting the town of Mount Shasta, California, the town's namesake peak is the obvious one dominating the skyline. However, when driving up the road to the Shasta trailhead, one cannot help but notice a perfectly conical peak on the skyline. This peak is called Black Butte (6,334 feet). Black Butte often serves as a training peak for Shasta climbers and provides a great alternative for when the Shasta weather is not conducive to climb, as it sits at a much lower elevation.
Begin at the evident sign in the parking lot that reads "Black Butte Trailhead." The drive up to the trailhead is somewhat bumpy but can be achieved in a 2wd vehicle with moderate clearance. The first 1.25 miles up are pretty cruisy with intermittent rocky sections. Then, the fun begins as the trail gets increasingly rocky and technical. There are a couple loose gravel spots where it is clear that the trail has not been maintained. Careful footing here! As you near the summit, you must run across a short rocky ridgeline piece and touch the concrete summit block. Enjoy the views of Shasta and quickly turn around! There are existing Strava segments for the ascent, descent, and roundtrip, so to claim an FKT you must beat the existing times. Have fun!
