Mt. Eddy

Near: Mt. Shasta
Trip Type: Hike
Elevation: 6800 - 9000 ft
Distance: 11 miles
Surface: Dirt with some rocky sections
Vegetation: Sparse Forest

Last Visited: July 2015


Just across I-5 from Mt. Shasta, Mt. Eddy is one of the highest peaks in the Shasta-Trinity national forest.

Trailhead

Lat/Long: 41.3432, -122.5375
The Parks Creek Trailhead on Forest Rt 42N17. (Starts out as Stewart Springs Road).  The access road was well graded and no trouble for a Prius, but be aware it's a narrow windy road the climbs up 3000 feet in a few miles on some very steep hillsides.

The Route

This hike starts by following the PCT south to the Deadfall Lakes in Mt. Eddy's shadow.   This first half of the hike climbs gently along the western slope of Mt. Eddy for about 2.5 miles until you reach the lowest and largest of the lakes.  Here you leave the PCT and take the Deadfall Lakes Trail (also the Sisson Calahan Trail) on a more aggressive climb past two smaller upper lakes.  At 4 miles you gain the ridge and turn north east and switch back steadily up to the broad, barren peak.  The summit itself is a bit uninspiring, but from here you can enjoy commanding views east to Mt. Shasta, with a 6,000 ft valley between you and the massive peak, and south west into the Trinity Alps.  

The PCT starts out under tree cover, but a section on the way to the Deadfall Lakes opens up with sweeping views down the valley.

One of the smaller deadfall lakes.  Not much for swimming, but a pleasant an uncrowded spot for a picnic.

More Deadfall Lakes.

Wide shot from the summit towards Mt. Shasta.

The switchbacks seemed a bit excessive on the final climb.

Caltopo Map: http://caltopo.com/m/M09K