CASCADIA #9: Mount Shasta–Heaven or Hell?

Curious Cat

Send us a text

Special show art by Bryn Hotes. Follow this dynamic designer on Insta here!

As the summer continues to dazzle with clear lake waters and lazy hazy days, my inner spooky season fangirl is relieved that the days are FINALLY getting shorter. That said, if you venture out into the wild, don't get caught without a light source. The woods feel different when the sun dips below the treeline!

This week, Curious Cat CASCADIA ventures into the wilds of Northern California's Siskiyou County. As Weird California aptly states, "No place in America is the subject of as many occult legends and stories as the majestic snowcapped dormant volcano now called Mount Shasta." Personally? The place scares the crap outta me. As a kid of divorced parents, I was forced to drive past the mountain at least twice a year and when the peak was in eyeshot, I curled into a ball in the footwell of the backseat! Thinking back, to say Shasta scared me comes up short. It made my guts bubble, my heart pound fast, and my brows glisten with sweat. While researching Shasta for this episode, I've had a tandem goal in mind, hunt down the logic behind my reaction to what most consider a spiritual mecca. Let's get into it!
If you liked this episode, listen to one of these NEXT!
Bothell Hell House with Survivor, Keith Linder
The Restless Spirit of Sister Irene: Our Quest to Bring Her Peace
Show Sources and Materials:
Legends of Shasta:
https://www.exploringtraditions.com/in-search-for-the-hidden-city-under-mount-shasta/

Fantastic LA Times article: https://www.latimes.com/local/la-xpm-2012-jan-23-la-me-shasta-legends-20120124-story.html

https://documents.latimes.com/a-people-of-mystery/ (LA Times article from 1930s)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legends_of_Mount_Shasta

The Mysterious and Very Recent HOLE that Appeared on Mount Shasta:
https://www.kqed.org/news/11684091/the-whole-story-faith-and-fraud-in-mt-shasta

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/mount-shasta-spirituality

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWexF_nPW3M (the Lemurians – the waters of Sacramento River)

https://journalnews.com.ph/the-mystery-of-the-mystical-lost-city-of-mt-shasta/

Great interview with Brian Wallenstein: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvKVA4XdpuI

Mount

Did you know you can text the show directly? Yeah! Look for the hyper button on the top of every episode. Send me fan mail, a comment, a topic you'd like me to cover, or a ghost story.
Curious Cat Crew on Socials:
Curious Cat on Twitter (X)
Curious Cat on Instagram
Curious Cat on TikTok
Art Director, Nora, has a handmade, ethically-sourced jewelry company!