Northern California (NorCal)

The names of Mount Shasta and the lake of the same name in northern California come from the Russian word "happiness" Located in the Cascade Range of Northern California (Cascades), Mt. Shasta is an extinct volcano with two peaks, rising to 14.162 feet (meters 4317). The largest volcanic peak in the continental United States, Mt. Shasta has five glaciers and many steam vents that feed three separate rivers. The mountain is long revered as a sacred place by numerous Indian tribes. Shasta's wildlife includes eagles, black bears and wolves, but snow sheep, grizzlies and antelopes, commonly found in the 19th century, have disappeared. Europeans first saw the mountain in 1827, and the first recorded ascent occurred in 1854. The trails to the top now allow you to climb and descend in one day