Lassen Volcanic National Park

As we rolled north out of Carson City through Reno and then back into Northern California, we also passed the northern end of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and into the southern end of the Cascade Range of mountains.  The Sierras were created largely by the shifting of the earth’s plates while the Cascades are know for their volcanic peaks.  Most people remember the eruption of Mt Saint Helens in 1980, but that was not the only “recent” volcanic eruption in the Cascade Range.  Lassen Peak also erupted less than 100 years ago, 99 years ago in May to be exact.

We took a picture of a story board in the Park that showed a picture taken of the major eruption of Lassen Peak three days after the initial eruption in 1915.  This eruption also set off avalanches that carried “hot rocks” as shown below right five miles from the peak and beyond.

As we drove up the Park road, we eventually reached those snow capped areas of the mountains.  And lest you think these volcanic peaks are done erupting, also shown is a cauldron of boiling mud and sulfur that demonstrates this area still is very alive and potentially dangerous.

 

And it was really nice to have a campground with trees.  It has been quite a long time.  But a campsite like this one makes the wait worthwhile.  Even Alley Cat loved this park.  She was out every day for a walk, chasing the ducks and birds of the campground all over the place.