Thursday, April 11th, 2002 **SPRING TOURS AVAILABLE DAILY!!** Mt Shasta from the North Side: Mt Shasta from the north side taken near the town of Gazelle. The colder weather is back this week to remind us that Spring really doesn't start around here until the month of May. Diller Canyon can be viewed on the Shastina side of Mt Shasta, this faces the town of Weed. There are 7 glaciers that are on this north side of the mountain, and many expert mountain climbers train on this side to get ready for more extreme locations such as K2 or Mt Everest, because of the steepness of the north face assent. Local climbing expert, author and legend Michael Zanger is the one to talk to when ever thinking of climbing the mighty majestic mother. His web site is over to the right and down, Shasta mountain guides. Have a nice climb my friend... Hot Air Baloons in flight: I got in the SUV and headed out with Shasta for a drive out towards Grenada. I love taking drives out into the Shasta Valley, theres all kinds of side roads off the freeway that lines the edges of the valley and makes driving a pleasurable one. The views are great, and for someone like me that appreciates geology and volcanic formations, it's an rewarding experience everytime I venture out and about on the north side of Mt Shasta. On this trip I saw these hot air baloons out in the Grenada taking an early morning flight. Lower Sac Alan and Jack: Out this past week with two brothers from Philadelphia, fly fishing the Lower Sac. Check out this nice lunky that Alan caught and released unharmed. His brother Rich caught a 5lber but we couldn't get the picture in time, the monster busted the hook in 1/2!(GUIDE EXCUSE OF COURSE) I had fun with these two look alikes, they were twins. I couldn't determine who harassed me more Alan or Rich, These guys were two characters from another planet ( trust me on that one!) Way to go guys, Your my "SIZZLER OF THE WEEK!" award winners. I wouldn't want to be old class mates with these guys and have them do a roast on me at a reunion party, it would be brutal. Lower Sac Rich: Here's brother Rich with a respectable catch, muddering words like; $#&&#&&**???%#%%% about the big one that broke the hook and got away! I like floating through Redding in April the temps are bearable and you can catch trout like these in a peaceful enviroment, drifing the Lower Sacramento in a McKenzie style drift boat. Lower Sac Alan's lunker: Nice Trout Alan! This beauty has some real rosie cheeks, a lot of the time you'll catch these rainbows in the Lower Sac with bright red colors on the trout. Well,as we approach the opening season for all other tributaries to open, like the McCloud, Upper Sac, Pit, Fall River, Hat Creek and all other smaller streams and creeks. We stop and say thanks for the real "New Year" is amongst us now, embrace yourself, for your wildest dreams are still to be fulfilled in a mountain stream in far Northern California. JT Hot Air Baloon on the hill: "The Eagle has Landed" or Zepplin, or something like that! I bet he was glad there wasn't a lot of trees on this hill. It must be fun to ride in a baloon soaring high-high into the air with a splended view of Mt Shasta and smelling the fresh morning air as it hits your face. Only to be suspended by merely a basket, cloth and helium, sounds like something I must try out sometime....... STAY TUNED!!!!!!! **WELL FOLKS HOPE YOU ENJOYED THAT STORY THANKS FOR WATCHING, UNTIL NEXT TIME ADIOS AMIGOS, JACK TROUT**


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