I had been traveling or hiking or adventuring in some way nine of the last eleven weekends and was past ready for a weekend at home. When I asked Gil what he wanted to do the coming weekend, he said, "Lassen". Ten out of twelve.
We found a campground on the Mendocino National Forest that was still open for the season and made a reservation. When we arrived Friday night, we realized we were literally a stone's throw from I-5. It was the strangest, urban campground I have ever stayed in. Early in the morning, a hover of forest fire fighting helicopters started drafting off the lake next to us.
We packed up quickly and headed to the northeast corner of Lassen National Park. We parked next to a beautiful lake and started our hike.
The park is full of volcanoes and their expelled material. It was like hiking on the beach, in coarse sand. We got to the cinder cone and decided we should stand on top of it. The line on the right side is the trail and it is steeper in person than it is in this picture. It was tortuous going up. For every step you took your foot slide back a half step in the sand-like lava rock. I am proud to say both Gil and I did not stop to rest and even passed four people on the way up.
We made it!
Looking down from the crater at the colors in the volcanic deposits, the different types of lava rock, and the tree line where the expelled material and lava flows did not reach.
We slid our way down from the top of the cinder cone, had some lunch, then hiked deeper into the park in search of Snag Lake. We hit the north end, stuck our feet in, then took a twenty minute power nap (at least I did) on the shore.
This was basically our view during our hike. The landscape didn't deviate much.
We drove to the northwest visitor center and then drove south through the park. It is a beautiful place.
Emerald Lake.
We stopped at Sulphur Works to enjoy the fumaroles and boiling mud.
Another great weekend but a very road and trail weary Kate by the end.
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