Originally Posted by
bjorn240
Thanks for the beta. Agree with the earlier start on day 1. A post-ski nap at Helen Lake is definitely in the cards that day so getting up earlier is a good idea.
Sleeping at Bunny Flat (either in your car depending what you rent, or in a tent) your first night will give your body more time to acclimate to the elevation. But you're already splitting your ascent into two days, so that definitely gives you a much bigger time window to go slow at elevation.
Not sure where the 7am number came up but that does seem on the later side. When I did it last weekend there were people getting up at 2am at Helen (way too early IMO), and I left around 6:30am because I was being lazy. I'd say somewhere in that 4am-6am window is good so that stuff softens up by the time you're ready to ski down.
#1 thing to remember is to force yourself to eat and drink/ plan it out. First time I tried Shasta I bonked (plus partner running out of water), but it's too easy to let elevation suppress your appetite and mess up your climb.
Last edited by NorCalNomad; 05-02-2019 at 01:01 PM.
TLDR; Ski faster. Quit breathing. Don't crash.
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