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South Side/Lake Helen
General Conditions
As of yesterday (20210530), the approach to Lake Helen is just about snow free. The summer trail will be the best route to Helen. The summer trail is quite eroded and braided in several sections, so please try to stay on the trail to limit your impact on the fragile alpine soils and vegetation. Beyond Lake Helen, the route is looking rough. There is a large section of scree that will need to be crossed to reach the short section of continuous snow. The snow that still remains is going fast and the route is becoming quite thin. At this point, going to the left of the heart would be the best option for ascending/decending. If you do decide to climb this route, be super heads up about rockfall. This is not a normal season and rock fall has been active.
Lastly be sure to pick up your $25 summit pass, wilderness permit, and human waste pack-out bags. Thanks for helping to keep the Mount Shasta Wilderness clean!
