Mount Shasta's Outdoor Rink Is Built for Regulars This Winter

The Siskiyou Ice Rink at Shastice Park opens Saturday, November 14, and stays open through February 21, 2027. That's about 14 weeks. The rink is 85 feet wide and 200 feet long, and the Mt. Shasta Recreation and Parks District calls it the only National Hockey League regulation-sized outdoor rink in California. This season everything about how it runs points one way. Sessions run on fixed afternoon blocks, you bring your own food, you call before you drive over, and the season pass pays off sooner than most people would guess.

The rink sits in Shastice Park, a 38-acre district park off Rockfellow Drive next to the Mt. Shasta High School campus. The same park has the softball field and the multi-purpose field complex.

The schedule is built around two afternoon blocks

The rink's calendar is simple. In December, public skate is listed every day from 12:45 to 2:15 p.m. and again from 3 to 4:30 p.m. through December 31. The calendar adds 7:30 to 9 p.m. night skates on Saturdays, including these dates:

• Saturdays, November 21 and 28: 7:30 to 9 p.m.
• Saturdays, December 5, 12, 19 and 26: 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Opening day is a little different. On November 14 the calendar lists three public sessions, at 12:45 to 2:15, 3 to 4:30, and 5:15 to 6:45 p.m. Adult pickup hockey takes the ice first, from 8 to 9:30 that morning. Winter break doesn't add extra sessions. From December 24 through 31 the calendar shows the usual two daytime blocks, plus the Saturday night skate on the 26th.

A schedule this steady is easy to build a habit around. The 3 p.m. block on a weekday, or the Saturday night skate, can go on the family calendar in November and stay there until the rink closes on February 21. The district keeps the full calendar on its Siskiyou Ice Rink calendar page.

Pack a bag before you go

The biggest change for returning skaters is at the edge of the ice. The rink's own page puts it plainly:

Plan ahead and bring your own water and snacks. No food or water available at the rink. The Snack Shack is permanently closed.

Without the Snack Shack, a rink trip is something you pack for. A thermos, a water bottle for each skater and something to eat between the 12:45 and 3 p.m. sessions now come from home.

The second habit is checking the weather. The district says the rink may close at any time because of bad weather, and it asks skaters to check the forecast and call the rink at (530) 926-1715 before heading over. The rink's page links to the National Weather Service forecast for Mount Shasta. Admission and skate rentals can be paid with a credit card or cash.

If you own skates, the rink also sharpens blades. You drop them off and should allow one to two weekdays before pickup. Plan around that if you want them sharp for a Saturday night skate.

When a season pass pays for itself

Here are the drop-in prices on the district's 2026/2027 admission fees page: $12 for adults 18 and over, $9 for youth ages 4 to 17, $9 for seniors 65 and over, $9 for active military, and $3 for a skate rental. Season passes cover skate rentals, admission to every public skate session and free group lessons. The table below compares each pass with what the same skater pays per visit with a rental.

Spread over 14 weeks, an adult who rents skates breaks even by skating less than once a week. The family pass covers up to four people living at one address, with no more than two adults. Each additional youth costs $35. For a household of four that skates together, the pass pays for itself by about the sixth outing.

Group lessons make the pass worth even more. A group lesson costs $15 on its own and lasts 45 minutes. That price includes a skate rental and admission to the public session, and skaters are grouped by ability, with all ages welcome. Passholders get group lessons for free. At $15 a lesson, the $145 youth pass equals the cost of 10 group lessons, so a child taking one lesson a week would cover the pass with lessons alone in about 10 weeks. The district says the lesson schedule hasn't been set yet and to check back. Private lessons are $30 for 30 minutes and also include a rental and public-session admission.

To buy a pass, fill out the Season Pass Application on the fees page. Mail it with a check made out to MSRPD to P.O. Box 314, Mt. Shasta, CA 96067, or pay by credit card at the rink once the season starts.

Hockey runs on its own calendar

Hockey skaters have their own times. Adult pickup hockey, for advanced and intermediate players, runs Thursdays from 7:30 to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 to 9:30 a.m. All-ages pickup hockey, for beginner and intermediate players, runs Sundays from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Full gear is required, and drop-in costs $12 per session unless you have a season pass or punch card.

The hockey add-on is cheap by comparison. Adult plus hockey is $190, just $15 more than the regular adult pass. Youth or senior plus hockey is $160, and family plus hockey is $330. For someone already buying an adult pass, the $15 add-on pays for itself by the second $12 pickup game. The season has 14 Thursdays, and a player who drops in for all of them would pay $168. The $190 adult-plus-hockey pass costs $22 more and adds public skating, rentals and group lessons.

Kids' hockey goes through the Ice Breakers Youth Hockey program, which charges its own fees on top of a season pass. The district lists the program's coach as the contact at (530) 356-0157 or [email protected].

Teachers can book the ice for school groups. Private 90-minute sessions are available Monday through Thursday between 8:30 a.m. and noon, except holidays, with a minimum of 20 skaters counting teachers and chaperones. Reservations go through (530) 926-1715 or [email protected].

Friends of the Rink keeps it going

Friends of the Rink is a grassroots nonprofit of people from Mt. Shasta and nearby communities. It supports how the rink is run and raises money for improvements, and it's looking for volunteers and business sponsors. For a regular, getting involved is a way to help an outdoor rink that depends on weather and on the community.

Thanksgiving week, on the ice and downtown

The rink stays open through the holiday weekend. Public skate is listed at 12:45 to 2:15 and 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 26, and Friday, November 27. Saturday, November 28 has those two sessions plus a 7:30 to 9 p.m. night skate, and Sunday, November 29 has the two daytime sessions.

Friday is also the Mt. Shasta Chamber of Commerce's Mt. Shasta Winter Magic. The Chamber lists it from 1 to 9 p.m. at East Castle Street and N. Mt. Shasta Blvd, at 400 N. Mt. Shasta Blvd. The day includes food and craft vendors, carriage rides, the Hometown Light Parade, Santa's arrival and the tree lighting. Families can fit an afternoon skate and the downtown evening into the same Friday by planning the order. The Chamber's event page also has registration for vendors and parade entries.

Whether you're a parent counting how many lessons cover a youth pass or a Thursday night hockey regular, our small team at Sunshine Realty 530 loves sharing the local details that make winter in Mount Shasta work. If you'd like a local take on your own corner of town, ask us for a free home valuation and local market review.