Lake Shastina
Lake Shastina Kiteboarding Guide
Part of the State of Jefferson Kiteboarding Guide
Intro:
Lake Shastina is a man made lake located in the high desert north of Weed, CA. Local windsurfers have enjoyed this spot for years because they can ride out the notoriously gusty south winds that go from near calm to smoke on the water in a matter of seconds. Complex mountain topography that rises over 10,000 feet above the lake manipulates the wind in interesting ways. True mountain flying! North winds, considered too light for windsurfing have totally been ignored, until recently.
Lake Shastina has been one of the most frustrating and spooky places for us to kite on quirky south winds. However, with the advent of the modern kite, kiteboarding on Lake Shastina has become a reality. In contrast to south winds, the north wind events following a passing front yield some of the best kiteboarding conditions we have found east of the coast.
Wingsurfing or wingfoiling has allowed exploitation of both thermal and frontal winds yielding more safe water time then would be possible with a kite.
Launch:
A relatively safe launch in the bay east of the public boat facility provides plenty of space for kite rigging and launching. During times of high water, such as in the spring, space is a bit more cramped plus shoreline hazards may be submerged (see hazards below). This bay provides great kiting on those north wind events. The west arm of the lake with the public boat launch has some of the gustiest frontal wind I have ever kited and can only be recommended on a north wind for kiteboarding. However, the west side does work a significant amount of time for both south and north winds for wingfoiling.
Hazards:
Gusty south winds combine with rocky launches and landings to keep things sporty. Getting blown downwind to private land can make for a long walk back to the launch and is an ever-present possibility due to the fluky winds. A Personal Floatation Device is a good idea due to the nature of the wind and the depth of the lake. If blown downwind, please be courteous to property owners whose land you will end up on. Booties are good idea if launching along the southeastern bay access road (now closed) because of broken glass and trash around the campfire circles. The campfire circles themselves can be a hazard when they are submerged during high water seasons. Some of these rock rings have been knocked down since the road closure. Please help out by leaving this launch cleaner than you found it.
Lake Shatina Area Wind & Weather Data:
Weed Airport
Personal Weather Station at Lake Shastina (Weather Underground)
NOAA Point Forecast
Camping:
Camping is no longer available at the lake. This is now a day use area only.
Lodging:
Weed and Mt Shasta offer a variety of lodging options.
Eats:
- Mexican: El Zaguan (South Weed Food Truck), Casa Ramos (Mt Shasta & Yreka)
- Ellie's Expressio & Bakery (Weed)
- Pizza Factory (Weed)
- Thai Lao Cuisine: Phet's Kitchen Phó & BBQ (Weed)
- Healthy Cuisine: Alua's Thrive Bar (Mt Shasta)