Climbing and Skiing Lassen & Shasta: Day 3 of 7

Field Notes

Jun 2

Day 3: Manzanita Lake and Scouting the Route

as always, the full gallery is at the bottom, so skip there if you don’t care about the words

I was up before the sun. Four in the morning, pitch dark outside the van, and I had a long drive to the north entrance of Lassen to make before first light hit the lake. That kind of early morning has its own energy. Part exhaustion, part anticipation. You are moving through the dark on pure intention.

As I drove into the north entrance, everything was blue. Not dark, not light, just this deep cool blue that sits between night and morning. It is one of my favorite times to be outside with a camera. The world feels quiet and untouched and entirely yours. I knew I was cutting it close on time so I grabbed my Sony A7R4, one tripod, one lens, threw everything in a backpack and started walking along the northern edge of Manzanita Lake looking for the right composition.

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I could not find it. The angles felt off and nothing was grabbing me the way I wanted. So I doubled back and walked all the way around the lake instead. That decision changed everything. As I made my way along the southern side, the sun started to hit Lassen Peak. That first touch of golden light on the mountain was breathtaking. Below it, a thin layer of mist and steam hung just above the surface of the lake, glowing in the early morning light. I found a small man made dam on the southern side, sat down, and just looked at it for a moment. Lassen Peak fully lit, the lake perfectly still, fog drifting just above the water. It was one of those moments where you almost forget to pick up the camera because you are just trying to absorb it.

Camera Gear I Packed For The Shasta & Lassen Project:

Sony a7r4
Tamron 16-30; probably my favorite lens right now
Tamron 28-75; I think this is the best all around focal length
Tamron 70-180; I don’t use this a ton, but it’s a great lens
Peak Design Tripod
Peak Design Lite strap (I was lucky enough to get the camo version from the Sitka collab that sold out in less than 24 hours and feel cool about that)
GoPro 13

I spent a few hours there. Shooting landscapes, shooting product work for the brands I was working with, testing compositions, and just enjoying being in that place. There is something about a morning like that which reminds you why you chose this life. No client on the phone. No deadlines screaming at you. Just you, a camera, and a mountain doing something extraordinary with the light.

Eventually I headed back to the van, ate some breakfast, and started doing a quick edit on the morning's images. I always like to do a rough pass early just to see what I actually captured, what is working, and what adjustments I need to make going forward. The Manzanita shots were strong. I felt good about what I had.

Then I looked over at my ski gear and made a decision. It was time to go check out the actual route. I grabbed everything, drove up toward Lassen Peak, and started hiking the approach just to get a feel for what I would be dealing with the next morning. Once I hit snow I clicked into my skis and skinned up to the base of the route, skiing just a few hundred feet of vertical to test the snow conditions and feel out the line. It was a quick look but it told me what I needed to know.

By the time I got back to the van the sun was getting low. I ate, organized my gear, and got to bed as early as I could. Tomorrow was the real day. I was going to ski Mount Lassen and I wanted every possible advantage that a good night of sleep could give me.

Again, thank you to anyone and everyone reading this. If you have enjoyed this journal entry, shoot me an email to say hey: dj@dalton-johnson.com

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