Hasta be Shasta

Mt. Shasta from truck window

After living within view of Pikes Peak for many years, we appreciate a mountain with a strong persona. In this northern California region, Shasta reigns supreme as a queen beauty of a mountain. Instead of hiding her volcanic birth, Shasta’s snowy mantle looks like white lava flowing from her conical top and the hovering clouds like puffs of smoke. We’re heading to a free camp site at Lake Shastina Public Campground and we can’t help but crane our necks as we wind our way down CA Highway 97 Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway, to see what our girl Shasta is up to. Lake Shastina gives us a chunk of lake front property and we park Biggie Moms within kayak carry distance from the water. The amenities here are simple: one pit toilet, one water spigot, tables, fire rings, and trash cans-- a pretty slick set up for a free campsite. Shug rates our spot an 8 on her dog-o-meter and rushes immediately to the water to splash and chase after a few seagulls. For those of you who don’t believe that dogs smile, Shug’s grinning mug banishes all doubts. Following an exhausting, muddy romp, a couple of ear flapping shakes dry her off just enough to enhance the cooling effect from the breeze as she stretches out on her bed in the shade of the awning.

Annette with view of Mt. Shasta

Early the next morning we explore our new digs. A dirt road from camp curves around the south end of the lake along pastures and wetlands populated with red-winged black birds, blue herons, and members of several different duck clans. The road turns north, climbing a hill that offers still more great views of Mt. Shasta. Our morning trek takes an hour and half round-trip, a good enough jaunt so that Shug doesn’t mind being left to guard Biggie Moms while we take off in our kayaks.  As we paddle toward the middle of our part of the lake we can see that the lake is much bigger than we realized. Skirting around an island hillock, two small islands appear in the larger body of the lake. Within moments of spotting the islands we hear riotous cries, belching gurgles, and loud squawking. As we approach, we realize these small rocky islands are seagull rookeries. Thousands of seagulls, pacing or plopped on the rocky ground, scream and chortle in a non-stop screech fest. Above the rocks, in sparsely-branched trees, cormorants and great blue herons nest among the branches. The cormorants throw their heads back and shriek, gargling with their rubbery neck pouches while the herons rattle and croak while jabbing at the air with their wide open beaks. This place is a living soundtrack from the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland. Add in the visual of seagulls swooping and diving with bits of branches in their beaks while cormorants do a mock-flasher strut around the island with their wings spread open to dry and you have a good picture of our most amazing kayaking experience to date. After circling around both rookery islands, we paddle back toward camp buzzing with all we’ve seen and heard.

Kristy and Shug on Lake Shastina

Over the next few days, Lake Shastina’s smooth, glassy water mirrors our peaceful and blissful state of mind. Twice, while walking the winding road above the boat launch, we see a bald eagle leave his lookout in a tall tree and take flight over the lake. During the middle part of the days we wade out into the cold water of the lake to relieve the heat that bakes the afternoons. Even Shug, an able yet reluctant swimmer, channels her inner pup and takes a cooling plunge or two with us, dog paddling (of course) a few loops before heading back to splash along the shoreline. A cooling breeze graces the evenings and a night-time chorus of frogs sing us to sleep.

Shug's inner pup

FYI: If you visit Lake Shastina Campground expect good Verizon cell service. 1 NPR radio station. The small town of Weed is 13 miles from the campsite. Martha’s Internet Café serves killer sandwiches and dishes up great wifi connection. Groceries, gas, fast food restaurants as well as a few local eateries, and all the basic towny stuff is easy accessible.  

 

 



The silky waters of Lake Shastina



Kristy with Biggie Moms in background