A Cascade Special

An associate professor in the psychology department at Mission College, Robert Fettgather has taught courses such as developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, and general psychology for more than 35 years. Robert Fettgather also spent 25 years as a teacher at Agnews Developmental Center in Santa Clara, California, through a developmental center based community college program. Robert Fettgather has published in the Transactional Analysis Journal and Voices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy.

The western Cascade mountain range has many wonders-among them Mt. Shasta.

Mount Shasta has interested geologists, Native American tribes, spiritual seekers, and even conspiracy theorists. The mountain's dual identity - as a natural wonder and a vortex of mysticism - makes it worth our investigation. It is stratovolcano rising 14,179 feet above sea level in Northern California. And we will establish that it is is more than just a geographical landmark but alsoa tpography of legend and matters of the spirit.

Geologists explain that themountain is actually a complex of four overlapping volcanic cones, each from different periods of eruptive activity. Moreover, Shasta's diverse landscape includes glaciers, lava domes, and lava tubes. The Whitney Glacier on the mountain's north side is the longest glacier in California. Let's not forget water- a critical element of the California landscape. Shasta serves as a vital water source for surrounding communities, with snowmelt feeding into the Sacramento River and underground aquifers.

Mount Shasta has been linked to UAP sightings and stories of covert government bases, and even time portals. While none of these claims are supported by scientific evidence, it is probable that no true investigative science has been financed or applied to these hypotheses.

Native tribes considered the mountain a place of spiritual power, healing, and “vision quests” and to this day, many Indigenous people continue to perform rituals and ceremonies on or near the mountain. After all, it is a spot of gods, spirits, and supernatural forces!

The Cascades in general and Mt. Shasta specifically are all worth a visit!