Going up Shasta safely depends a lot on the season. I always led a group up there on Memorial Day so that we could ski the bottom half of the mountain. The top half (Avalanche Gulch) is for ice axe and crampons, but it is not a good place to learn. The top slope of Avalanche Gulch, just below Red Banks, is about 33 degrees. However, it is unpredictable. It might be icy, slushy, or bare rock.
