Training: cllimbing Mt. Shasta, CA
206 days to Day 1 (1st attempt) Two of us climbed Mt. Shasta 4,317m (CA) via Avalanche Gulch route. It became the 30th, above 4,000 meters peak, that we climbed together. The climb was to train for the Denali summit day. Distance one way, km Elevation gain Shasta 7.8 2,107 Denali 3.7 931 Lesson : if you can't self-belay on a snow slope, never count on self-arrest, instead protect PHOTO: Avalanche Gulch is just in the middle The climb The descent On the descent we stopped for lunch break at Misery Hill, and Vera pointed out to the shifted metal band on one of my crampons. I said "ah, it's just cosmetic". I have climbed like that many times. But then I surprised myself taking the crampon off, inspecting it and readjusting anew. I remember clearly at the back of my mind a briefly flashed image of the exit chute of the Red Banks with entire stretch of Avalanche Gulch and also the episode when Joe Sim
