Season outdoor store in the dune

Topping out at 14,179 feet/4,322 meters high, this magnificent volcano seems to scrape the

turquoise-blue sky, a totem from almost anywhere in the northern part of the state. And while some mountains climb gradually, this one rises from surrounding flatlands in such perfect, cone-shaped, snow-capped majesty that it seems almost unreal—the perfect projection of a child’s fantasy of what a mountain should be. (Famed naturalist John Muir wrote that his “blood turned to wine” when he first caught sight of the majestic peak.) Summiting the mountain is for the hardiest of climbers; ask about guide services at The Fifth Season outdoor store in the town of Mt. Shasta, a New Age-y enclave on the mountain’s west side. (Get the town’s vibe at The Crystal Room, a prism-filled visual feast.) Read more: http://www.visitcalifornia.com/trip/ultimate-northern-california