Dale & Debbie Part 38 - California

4th Aug 2023

Crossing into
California

Picking up where I left off at Lassen Volcanic National Park.
It contains all four types of volcanoes found in the world.
There is a 30-mile-long scenic highway that winds thru the park with numerous roadside highlights. More than half of the park was affected by the 2021 Dixie Fire thus the burned trees in some of the photos.

You may remember a previous note regarding our hike on Lassen Peak. As a short recap, below is photo of it and Dale standing on the summit.

There are many mountain lakes in the park.
Below are some we visited.

Cold Boiling Lake is a dying hydrothermal area that continues to emit small amounts of gas bubbles at some points near the shore. We did not see any!

The Lassen Peak eruption touched off a snow avalanche which carried this 30-ton rock five miles to its current location where it settled, sizzled, and cooled.
Its internal temperature is estimated to have been 1000°F. It was reported by visitors Hot Rock was still hot to the touch even months after the eruption.
More than a century later the new forest obscures many of the scattered rocks that tumbled down the slopes of Lassen Peak.

Hot Rock serves as a natural monument of the powerful forces of nature.

There were smoky and clear days.

There are so many roads in the mountains with steep drop offs that don't have guardrails. But we were surprised that Lassen Volcanic NP doesn't have any, nor were there shoulders in most places.

This area is called Sulphur Works and can be accessed by a very short walk from a parking lot. It features boiling mudpots and steam vents.

Bumpass Hell is the largest hydrothermal area in the park and can only be reached by a 3-mile, round- trip trail.

Fun with trees!

I wanted to share photos of these guys building an observation deck on the edge of a cliff overlooking this waterfall; they were working very hard.
As much as I love waterfalls I think I watched them more than the fall! The location was 2+ miles from the trailhead so they camped out there with no cell service.
They were there to get the job done! Too bad more people don’t have that kind of work ethic these days.

Here is a better photo of the waterfall.

This was a loop hike, and on our way back up, the trail followed some beautiful cascading falls.

Crossing intoCalifornia

Crossing into
California