Regal Mount Shasta, wearing a cape of snow, stands tall at 14,161 feet.
Mount Shasta Weekender
A Northern California town offers a magical, mystical trip with singing crystal bowls, a blackberry festival, and scenic local hiking.
Rose quartz bowls sing at the Crystal Room.
Mount Shasta rises behind Coffee Connection, which is housed in a late-1800s building.
Like shiny things? This Mount Shasta gold bracelet at Jon Thomas costs $1,825.
For dessert, try the crème brûlée with strawberries and cream at Lilys.
Pots of speciality teas await visitors at Sereni-tea.
IF YOU'RE GOING...
Area code is 530.
TO DO AND SEE
Cool Mountain Nights/Blackberry Festival Sept. 2–4. Classic Car Show, street fair with rock and roll, Tinman Triathlon, music festival, blackberry beer, and, of course, blackberry pies.Various locations. 926-6004, mtshastachamber.com. Fish Hatchery View and help feed rainbow and brown trout in open ponds year-round. 1 N. Old Stage Rd., 926-2215. Hiking Pick up maps at the Mt. Shasta Ranger Station for many local trails. The Panther Meadows Trail provides spectacular views. 204 W. Alma St., 926-4511. Sisson Museum Native American basketry, mountaineering displays, and Water Talks, a series of educational events on a range of water-related topics. 1 N. Old Stage Rd., 926-5508.
SHOPPING
The Crystal Room Minerals in many forms including luminous singing bowls, as gorgeous to look at as they are hauntingly beautiful to hear. 109 W. Castle St., 918-9108, crystalsmtshasta.com. Jon Thomas Fine Jewelry Custom-made necklaces, earrings, and other jewelry pieces, many featuring graceful images of the iconic mountain. 322 N. Mount Shasta Blvd., 926-6800, jonthomasfinejewelry.com. Sereni-tea Try Lemurian lavender, a blend named after the mythical people said to inhabit the mountain. 319 N. Mount Shasta Blvd., 926-1688, sereni-tea.net. Siskiyou Arts Council Gallery Creations by local painters, sculptors, and potters. 418-A N. Mount Shasta Blvd., 926-1294, siskiyouartscouncil.org. Soul Connections A diverse collection of New Age items, from wall hangings and banners to religious icons and ethnic musical instruments. 329 N. Mount Shasta Blvd., 918-9533, soulconnectionstore.com.
EATS
Casa Ramos Favorites include molcajete, a savory stew with your choice of chicken, beef, or seafood. 1136 S. Mount Shasta Blvd., 926-0250, casaramos.net. The Coffee Connection Homemade soups, pies, peanut butter brownies, and ice cream sundaes and floats. 408 N. Mount Shasta Blvd., 926-2622, thecoffeeconnection.org. Lilys Hearty meat dishes including pork loin glazed with bourbon; a wide selection of vegetarian choices, such as ratatouille and polenta. 1013 S. Mount Shasta Blvd., 926-3372, lilysrestaurant.com. The Oven Bakery Muffins, pastries, and whole-grain breads made by hand three times a week. Gourmet pizzas on Friday nights. 214 N. Mount Shasta Blvd., 926-0960, theoven-bakery.com. Seven Suns Coffee and Café Try a homemade bear claw. 1011 S. Mount Shasta Blvd., 926-9701. Wayside Grill Half-pound burgers and brick-oven pizzas; live music on weekends. 2217 S. Mount Shasta Blvd., 918-9234, waysidegrill.com.
GET GOING
Request the Northern California & Nevada TourBook and Northern California map at AAA.com or any AAA branch. To find a place to stay, visit AAA.com/hotels. For more information, contact the Mount Shasta Chamber of Commerce and Visitors’ Bureau: 300 Pine St., 926-3696, mtshastachamber.com.
Photography by David Collier (5); copyright 2011 Roy Tennant, FreeLargePhotos.com (Mount Shasta)
This article was first published in September 2011. Some facts may have aged gracelessly. Please call ahead to verify information.
