ON THE MAP
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BY TIM HOLT
SUMMIT STOP S I E R R A C L U B H U T AT H O R S E C A M P BUILT WITH VOLCANIC ROCK and alpine timber, perched on the main route to Mt. Shasta’s summit, the Sierra Club’s venerable old Shasta Alpine Hut serves as a rest stop for day hikers, mountain climbers and spiritual seekers. It provides a cool respite from summer heat and a welcome refuge in the winter. It was built in 1923 at Horse Camp, a level stretch of the mountain where 19th century climbers, including John Muir, left their horses and continued on foot toward the summit. Beginning in 1924, a succession of hut “caretakers” hired by the Sierra Club has been meeting and greeting trekkers from all over the world.
After the cabin was christened with a bottle of Shasta Ginger Ale, the first caretaker, Joseph Macatee “Mac” Olberman, took up residence there at the ripe age of 62, toughing it out for 10 years on the mountain. He was an energetic old fellow. Using a 30-pound crowbar to excavate large rocks, he managed to build a half-mile-long stone walkway toward the summit. It’s known today as Olberman’s Causeway. To this day, there is still a mystery about him. Despite his rough, mountain man persona, he was well educated and spoke several languages. There were hints, too, of a spiritual side.
Photo by Tim Holt
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www.EnjoyMagazine.com FEBRUARY 2021
