1149773400

Photo by: G Naron / 500px

G Naron / 500px

Mt. Shasta, California’s Mysterious Volcano, is an Enigma Waiting to be Explored

By: Lucy Sherriff

At the northernmost tip of California lies the southern end of the dramatic Cascade mountain range. And the crowning glory of the range, which ripples down through British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon, before it comes to a stunning crescendo at Mount Shasta.

September 21, 2022

The state’s snow-capped mountain is a volcano, and it is a draw for not only outdoor adventurers, but for spiritual seekers too, who are pulled in by whispers of a secret crystal city inside the mountain and powerful ley lines that create an energetic vortex.

Mt Shasta pulls in around 26,000 visitors every year to its tiny one strip town, which is packed full of crystal stores and spiritual book shops. It’s also an important site for Native Americans, straddling the territories of the Shasta, Modoc, Achumawi, Atsugewi, and Wintu tribes, and it makes an appearance in many creation stories and tribal tales.

Mountain peak covered with snow.

558897833

Mountain peak covered with snow.

Photo by: Mark Newman

Mark Newman

The Modoc people, who hail from the Klamath Basin, north of Shasta, believe that the mountain is home to the matah kagmi, the Modoc word for Bigfoot. In Modoc culture, Bigfoot is known as the keepers of the woods.

The imposing mountain is also home to the legend of Telos, a hidden city of advanced beings who hail from Lemuria, a supposedly lost continent that was first proposed in 1864 by zoologist Philip Sclater. He theorized that Lemuria sank beneath the Indian Ocean…and that the surviving 25,000 Lemurians fled to Mt Shasta, where they built their city in an already large dome cavern that existed inside the mountain. Locals and visitors alike have reported visions of 7ft-tall, regal people clothed in all white, who they believe to be the long-lost Lemurian civilization, and to who they attribute the mysterious feel of the area.

Others, who are similarly impressed by the mountain but perhaps have a more practical worldview, attribute the undeniable special energy of the place to the topography. The mountain is so steep and tall that it creates its own weather, including the spectacular lenticular clouds that wrap around its peak like a clock. The clouds are formed by humid air that hits the volcano and then has to move upwards to cool down.

Subterranean formations in Shasta Caverns near Redding, California

650151608

Subterranean formations in Shasta Caverns near Redding, California

Photo by: RJohn97

RJohn97

And, of course, then there are the lava tubes. Amid all the stories of Bigfoot, energy vortexes, and tall ancient people, these lava tubes provide endless adventure, regardless of your spiritual and metaphysical inclinations.

Pluto’s Cave is a firm favorite and was first discovered in 1863, and subsequently named after Pluto, the Greek God of the underworld. The ancient tube extends over a mile underground and was formed by molten lava passing through tubes in older, hardened lava. The entrance, barely visible among the high desert plants that have taken root at the base of Mt Shasta, is a gaping foreboding hole that leads deep into the ground. The opening is around 40ft high, and the height is accentuated by the steep drop and downward angle of the cave. Temperatures are around the 40s, so wrap up warm. Additionally, once you are a few hundred yards in, there is zero sunlight that reaches the cave – so make sure you have a backup flashlight. Utter darkness would make getting out very difficult. A rough trail leads explorers through craggy piles of rocks which then opens out into the sandy floor of Pluto’s Cave. Stick to the trail and you’ll reach even more caves, although these are smaller, and eventually, the trail disappears into the shadows, with the lava tube extending for another mile underground – and the darkness daring only the bravest to continue into the depths of the earth.

Next Up

Exploring the World’s Longest Cave System

The world’s longest cave system is a gargantuan labyrinth of 420 miles of twists and turns and nooks and crannies, with limestone travertine stalactites dripping from the ceilings.

Three New Species of Snakes Discovered in Graveyards and Churches in Ecuador

A team of scientists led by Alejandro Arteaga, grantee of The Explorers Club Discovery Expeditions and researcher at Khamai Foundation, discovered three new cryptozoic (living underground) snakes dwelling under graveyards and churches in remote towns in the Andes region of Ecuador.

Explore the California Redwoods

Coastal redwoods are a type of evergreen tree that can live to be more than 2,000 years old. They are the tallest trees on Earth, with some reaching more than 250 feet tall. Redwoods provide habitats for many forest creatures and pull more carbon out of the air than any other tree species. Where can you find these magnificent perennial plants?

Belize's Jungles are Wild, Mysterious and Full of Discovery

More than half of Belize, a Central American country with as many as 2 million indigenous Mayan inhabitants, is covered in dense, sprawling jungle – meaning the region has adventures galore for any traveler wishing to explore.

A Majestic City Carved into Rock, Thousands of Years Ago

Carved into soft stone cliffs, the ancient sandstone city of Petra was built in the 3rd century BC by the Nabataeans. These people were a nomadic Arab tribe–Bedouins–who roamed the Arabian Desert in search of pasture and water for their herds.

A Canadian Teen Once Discovered an Ancient Temple – Using Google Maps

Most teenagers while away hours playing video games, scrolling TikTok, or texting friends. Not William Gadoury, a 14-year-old from Saint-Jean-de-Matha, Quebec. Back in 2016, Gadoury was holed up in his bedroom, plotting ancient Mayan constellations against modern satellite images and coordinates.

A Spanish Sunken Galleon Has a $17B Bounty Onboard - and Now You Can See It

Way back in 1708, when the War of Spanish Succession was waging across Europe and Latin America to decide who should be the next King of Spain, three Spanish galleons set sail from Panama. They were loaded to the brim with gold, silver, emeralds, and other jewels that had been extracted from the mines of Bolivia – and were vital in financing Spain’s costly war against its enemies.

Take Off with the Tipple Family on the All-New Series NATURE IS FLY

On the all-new series, NATURE IS FLY, go on adventures to experience nature and science with the Tipple family. They travel the country and meet the people who are the best in their fields of conservation and more.

In this Mars-Like Landscape, You Can See Both Hemispheres At Once

There’s a rarely-visited, dusty corner of the world where something magical happens. The place, which looks like Mars with its red rock landscape, is the Tatacoa Desert, in Colombia.

Fishermen Were Once Banned from These Protected Waters - Now That's All Changed

Fishermen in the South Atlantic will be able to cast their lines for black sea bass once more thanks to innovative new ropeless gear technology.