The newspaper that roams
Hiking Trails of Lassen National Park.
Lassen Volcanic National Park and Vicinity: A Natural History Guide to Lassen Volcanic National Park and Vicinity
Fire Mountains of the West: The Cascade and Mono Lake Volcanoes
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Climb a volcano
at Lassen Volcanic National Park
By Chuck Woodbury
editor, Out West
Hot springs, boiling mudpots, streams with quicksand, steaming lakes, lava beds, and mountains that could one day explode they're all at Lassen Volcanic National Park in northeast California.
Manzanita Lake and Mt. Lassen
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One of the lesser visited national parks, Lassen Park is generally a quiet, unhurried place, especially after Labor Day when most vacationers have folded up their pop-up trailers for the season.
The focal point of the park is 10,457-foot Mt. Lassen, one of the world's largest plug dome volcanoes and the southern-most peak in the Cascade range. Most of the park's major attractions are along a 29-mile link in State Route 89 that encircles the peak's east side. To fully appreciate the drive, get a copy of the inexpensive "Road Guide to Lassen National Volcanic Park" at either of thc park's two visitor centers.
Until the 1980 eruptions of Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Lassen was the most recently active volcano in the contiguous United States, erupting 150 times between 1914 and 1915. One eruption blasted volcanic debris five miles into the air, dumping ash as far away as 100 miles in Reno. Evidence of this blast is visible in the park's Devastated Area.
Mild, sporadic eruptions continued until 1921. Although the mountain is dormant today, geologists believe it will erupt again.
But don't come here to see an eruption unless you're prepared to wait around a century or so. Come instead to learn all about volcanoes and to view some of the most scenic country north of Yosemite.
Lassen became a national park in 1916. Today, it includes 106,000 acres of coniferous forest, 78,000 acres of wilderness, more than 50 species of mammals including black bear, 150 kinds of birds and 150 miles of hiking trails. Anglers can fish for brook, brown and rainbow trout in more than 50 lakes and streams.
Campers can choose from 375 primitive sites at seven campgrounds. Reservations are not accepted, but campsites are usually available except on summer holidays or in August, the busiest month.
The most popular campground is at Manzanita Lake, just off Highway 44 at the park's northwest entrance. Manzanita Lake Campground has 179 units (with a few pull-throughs), flush toilets and pay showers. Picnicking, fishing, swimming, canoeing and hiking the 1.5-mile trail around the lake are favrite pastimes at this picture-postcard location. The park's only dump station, general store and gas station are located here. During the summer, evening campfire programs are presented at the amphitheatre.
An interesting hike from the campground is to Chaos Jumbles, a series of massive landslides from nearby Chaos Crags. A two-mile trail climbs moderately from Manzanita Lake to the edge of the Jumbles. Here, you can actually see and hear the mountain eroding as rocks tumble down the mountainside. I enjoy hiking this trail in the lake afternoon, then returning in the dark by flashlight. At sunset, the view from a ridge of Chaos Crags reveals distant Mt. Shasta bathed in a sky of orange.
Park visitors with a little more ambition, and good lungs can hike to the top of Mt. Lassen. A 2.5-mile trail begins at 8,500 feet and switches back 40 times on its 2,000-foot ascent to the summit. From the ridge of the crater, the panoramic view of nearby volcanoes, mountain forests and alpine lakes is magnificent. If you go, as 35,000 people of all ages do each year, bring along water, suntan lotion, a cap, sunglasses and a w
Bumpass Hell
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ind breaker. A snack is a good idea, too, as a typical round trip lasts four to six hours.
The park has seven thermal areas with intriguing names like Devils Kitchen, Bumpass Hell, Sulphur Works and Boiling Springs Lake. Perhaps the most fascinating area is Bumpass Hell -- ten acres of sputtering hot springs, steaming fumaroles, boiling mudpots and mud volcanoes. Visitors here enjoy the eerie sounds of mud plopping, steam hissing and water boiling. The three-mile round trip hike is easy if you take your time.
Not far away, near the southwest entrance of the park, is Sulphur Works, a smaller and less-spectacular version of Bumpass Hell. If you can't see Bumpass Hell, be sure to stop here, where everything is right off the road.
Another interesting park attraction, Cinder Cone, cannot be reached by the main park road. Instead, you must exit the park and follow Highway 89 north to State Route 44 and then take a six-mile dirt road to Butte Lake. The round trip from Manzanita Lake is 64 miles. An interesting stop along the way is at Subway Cave, a large lava tube (a cave formed by flowing lava). Bring a flashlight.
Cinder Cone is a classic volcano, made from volcanic ash, cinder and volcanic bombs. It is a nearly perfect cone, sort of a roundish Great Pyramid look-alike. The mountain last erupted in the mid-1800s.
The two-mile hike from Butte Lake Campground to the top of the volcano is strenuous, not just because of its 750-foot elevation gain, but because you must walk on tiny volcanic pebblesi it's like walking on a bean bag. But for those who hike it, the effort is worth every sluggish step. From the peak you'll see the colorful Painted Dunes, Mt. Lassen, and the Fantastic Lava Beds a massive lava flow.
There are several other interesting areas in the park. Summit Lake is the gateway to Lassen's wilderness area; the campground is best for small RVs and tents. The Juniper Lake and Warner Valley areas, in the park's southeast corner, can only be reached by trail or by road from the town of Chester.
If you plan to visit Lassen Volcanic National Park, come between mid-June and late-October. The park road is usually closed the rest of the year because of heavy snow.
Lassen Park doesn't go to sleep in the winter, however. A winter sports area is located near the south entrance with downhill facilities open from Thanksgiving to Easter. Cross country skiers can leave from here or near Manzanita Lake in the north.
For more information on the park, write Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mineral, CA 96063, or call (916) 595-4444.
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