Lassen Peak Beta & Conditions
See how Lassen Peak is skiing and what to expect for your trip based on real reports from this season and similar seasons.
Recent & Matched Reports
r/Mountaineering· May 16, 2018Skiing from the summit of Lassen Peak
Skiing from the summit of Lassen Peak
r/Mountaineering· May 30, 2020Did I make the right call?
Ok. I may get some of the typical “if you have to ask” grief for this question. I am personally comfortable with the situation, but I’d like to just double check myself with people who have actual experience. I’m very new to this, and this was my first climb. So my first set of crampons and ice axe showed up in the mail right before the lockdowns. I had plans to climb Lassen and Shasta under someone experienced, but those for canceled. My shiny new gear has been staring me down the last few months, and it finally got the better of me. So yesterday I drove up to Slide Mountain to climb one of its chutes. Slide mountain is a local mountain that has a ski resort on out. It’s named for the fact that it’s had multiple slides, one in the 80’s that was big enough to take out the highway, some homes, and a few lives. The chutes are 1000’ long 55 degree double black diamond chutes created by these slides. I wouldn’t classify them as a couloir but they are fairly narrow with rocky outcropping a between them. I snowboard these chutes every year, so I’m very comfortable with their exposure and slopes. There is still snow in them, but they are far too sparse to be skiable. It was warm and slushy, even though I started at sunup. On the lower portion I spent some time practicing self arrest based on what I have read in FotH and seen on YouTube. Before long I felt very comfortable with that, having practiced feet first on my stomach and back, then head first on my stomach and back. I then proceeded to climb into the steeper part of the chute. It went smoothly until I came across [a boulder that had slid half way down the chute](https://imgur.com/gallery/6g3p5Ba), coming to rest here. It’s hard to see in the photo, but you can see it’s slide trail going all the way up as far as you can see. I know it was a mistake to have not evaluated the risk of rock slide more seriously before I started. But that rock made me consider that what I was climbing toward was unstable and the
Did I make the right call?
Ok. I may get some of the typical “if you have to ask” grief for this question. I am personally comfortable with the situation, but I’d like to just double check myself with people who have actual experience. I’m very new to this, and this was my first climb. So my first set of crampons and ice axe showed up in the mail right before the lockdowns. I had plans to climb Lassen and Shasta under someone experienced, but those for canceled. My shiny new gear has been staring me down the last few months, and it finally got the better of me. So yesterday I drove up to Slide Mountain to climb one of its chutes. Slide mountain is a local mountain that has a ski resort on out. It’s named for the fact that it’s had multiple slides, one in the 80’s that was big enough to take out the highway, some homes, and a few lives. The chutes are 1000’ long 55 degree double black diamond chutes created by these slides. I wouldn’t classify them as a couloir but they are fairly narrow with rocky outcropping a between them. I snowboard these chutes every year, so I’m very comfortable with their exposure and slopes. There is still snow in them, but they are far too sparse to be skiable. It was warm and slushy, even though I started at sunup. On the lower portion I spent some time practicing self arrest based on what I have read in FotH and seen on YouTube. Before long I felt very comfortable with that, having practiced feet first on my stomach and back, then head first on my stomach and back. I then proceeded to climb into the steeper part of the chute. It went smoothly until I came across [a boulder that had slid half way down the chute](https://imgur.com/gallery/6g3p5Ba), coming to rest here. It’s hard to see in the photo, but you can see it’s slide trail going all the way up as far as you can see. I know it was a mistake to have not evaluated the risk of rock slide more seriously before I started. But that rock made me consider that what I was climbing toward was unstable and the
r/skiing· Jun 5, 2020Skiing Mt Lassen- June 4
Skiing Mt Lassen- June 4
How do we match seasons? (Show snowpack data)See the SNOTEL analysis that finds similar snow years
We analyze Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) patterns from SNOTEL stations around Lassen Peak to find years with similar snowpack development.
Your September 2, 2025 Lassen Peak Trip Matches These Historical Dates
These dates had similar snowpack patterns to your selected date's conditions.
SNOTEL Stations Used
Lassen Peak Snowpack Analysis
This chart shows Lassen Peak's snowpack patterns we analyzed. The thick red line is this year's Lassen Peak snowpack development. The colored lines show historical years with similar Lassen Peak patterns — that's how we know what to expect.
Water Year View: Shows snowpack progression from October through September. Compare seasonal timing between years.
💡 How to read this: When lines follow similar curves, it means Lassen Peak's accumulated and melted at similar rates. Similar melt patterns typically lead to similar Lassen Peak climbing and skiing conditions.
Ready for your Lassen Peak adventure?
Now that you've seen how this season compares, get the detailed forecast and route info for your planned dates. We'll help you nail the timing and prep for your Lassen Peak trip.
FAQ: Using Trip Reports to Plan
How do you find relevant trip reports for Lassen Peak?
We analyze Snow Water Equivalent patterns from SNOTEL stations around Lassen Peak to find years with similar snowpack development. Then we surface trip reports and observations from those matched time periods, plus recent reports from the current season.
Can I trust trip reports from different years?
Similar snowpack patterns often produce similar skiing and climbing experiences on Lassen Peak. However, always combine historical observations with current forecasts, avalanche conditions, and recent reports for the most accurate picture.
How recent are these Lassen Peak trip reports?
We show both recent reports (last 3 weeks) and matched historical reports from similar seasons. Each report is tagged so you know whether it's from this year or a comparable past season.
What if I don't see many trip reports for Lassen Peak?
Trip report availability varies by mountain popularity and season timing. We're constantly expanding our sources and improving our matching algorithms to surface more relevant observations.