Postcard from Lassen - Scenery and Sulphur

The vast majority of my life was spent in California. I spent much time exploring all the National Parks and Monuments that the state offered...but never had I visited Mt. Lassen National Park. In planning my walkabout, I wanted to make sure I visited this small, but scenic park as much of this trip is targeted to go places where I had never been.

If you look on a map, you will see that Lassen is almost due north of Yosemite in what looks to be the same mountain range. However, while Yosemite is most definitely part of the granite-based Sierra Nevada Mountains, Lassen is more properly part of the Cascade Mountains...the same range that include Mt. Ranier, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Hood, Mt. Shasta and many others. You see, Mt. Lassen, like the others, is an active volcano.

It last blew its top in May of 1915. I saw photographs of the eruption taken from 50 miles away and let me tell you, it was as big, if not bigger than Mt. St. Helens. I don't know where the dividing line is between the two mountain ranges, but once you have visited both parks you will see huge differences in the landscape and geology. Mt. Lassen's peak sits at around 10,500 ft. and is quite visible from Interstate 5 for many, many miles. It was odd that after viewing the mountain so many times while traveling, I had never been there. That was about to change

I approached the north entrance of the park, about a 50 mile drive due east from Redding. From the park entrance you can't see the mountain, but you do get beautiful views of Manzanita and Reflection Lakes (Photo #1). At this point, you are at about 5,500 feet. The road goes north for a short stretch, then south through some beautiful forested country. Finally, the mountain reveals its north face, which still has snow on it (Photo #2). There are also several places along the road where you can see the results of the 1915 eruption.

After a while the road starts a long climb upward,eventually taking you to 8,500 feet, just 2,000 feet below the summit. By this time, you are facing the south slope of Mt. Lassen, which was completely devoid of snow when I saw it. As you start down the mountain, you are confronted by the hydrothermal features of the park, similar on a smaller scale to those found in Yellowstone. There are boiling mud pots, steaming ground, roaring fumaroles, and sulfurous gases...all evidence that this is an active volcanic area.

The highlight of this area is the Bumpass Hell region, which can be easily explored on foot. Later, the road takes you also pass some very active sulphur vents (photo #3) as your nose will soon tell you. Then before you know it, you are at the park's south entrance. As I said, it is a very small park. There are trails throughout the park that will take you to some beautiful and interesting places, but I chose not to do this.

In the end, I am glad I saw this interesting national park even though I only spent 1/2 a day there...but it is doubtful I will ever visit it again. I find the Sierra Nevada range and its parks far more interesting than the Cascades. But, I am also prejudiced as I spent a lot of my childhood in those gigantic granite mountains.

From Lassen, I headed east to the small, but very cute town of Susanville, then south on Highway 395 to Reno, for two nights in luxury hotels. Stay tuned.