The Other Side of the Mountain

The summit of Mt. Shasta 
from the southwest side
covered with lenticular clouds,
some say space ships,
indicating high winds
and unsafe climbing

Mt. Shasta and Shastina from the west side
from Black Butte 

There are so many ways to look at something if it stands tall among ordinary things.  It attracts attention and you want to learn more.  You can see its southwest side, as I have shown many times on this blog, and again here, because it’s the side I live next to, and the side I wanted climb.  And you have the west side, from when I climbed Black Butte and gave you both Shasta and Shastina, a lesser volcano on the flank of Shasta, which appears small only because Shasta is big.

See the windswept snow
from last night’s storm
as it streaks the rock with white
and piles up in the valleys

Mt. Shasta from Clear Creek Trail

Today, I give you the southeast side.

Clear Creek Trailhead

Mt. Shasta from the southeast side

I started up the ridge from the Clear Creek Trailhead, a recognized route to the summit, heading only for timberline to see the mountain from another perspective.  And it looks from here like a different mountain.

Crooked little tree

run over last winter

and the winter before

comes straight in summer

yes again this summer