At the very top of Northern California - in more ways than one - is Siskiyou County, home of majestic Mount Shasta, the Klamath Wildlife Refuges, the Marble Mountains Wilderness, and a rich expanse of mountain ranges, forests and valleys. Complementing its voluptuous topography are friendly communities practiced in the art of welcoming visitors.

The county, one of California's largest, is divided about in half by all-season Interstate 5, the principal access artery. Locals like to divide Siskiyou County into three distinct regions: the Alpine Vistas & Villages Region and Valleys & Volcanoes Region, everything east of I-5; and the Gold Country Region, everything west of it.

The Alpine Vistas & Villages region encompasses the mountain towns of Dunsmuir, McCloud and Mt. Shasta, but what first grabs the attention of the traveler is something entirely made by nature: a huge, snow-capped sentinel.

Fourteen-thousand foot Mount Shasta has irresistible power. Its energy vortices and legendary Lemurian mountain folk notwithstanding, the mountain commands your gaze. Of course, in this case, the stage is a horizon dominated by timber, water and rock. Mt. Shasta is a dormant volcano that, at half the height of Everest, is a perfect peak for beginning and expert mountaineers. It also exudes a spiritual serenity that even day hikers and drivers can feel deeply.

No less a spectacle are the soaring granite spires of Castle Crags State Park, located just southwest of Shasta. A number of hiking trails, catch-and-release fishing, and incredible rock climbing are favorite pastimes here.

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