davidandmarta.blogspot.com: pnw trip: lassen national park

we rolled into lassen volcanic national park in sunny dry california around lunch time after saying goodbye to mt shasta.

this park feels very much in the middle of nowhere, and is quite beautiful. evidence of old volcanic eruptions and not-so-old volcanic eruptions (last:1919) abound, at the base and side of the mountain and in the surrounding forest. evidence of recent fires is also everywhere.

lunch was a lakeside picnic, and this little fella found a perfect picnic stump for apple eating.

then we drove through the main drive, looking at eruption fields and rock blasted all over the place, like in this picture.

this rock blasted off the mountain about 100 years ago, and was too hot to touch for days.

there she is, lassen peak, with just the tiniest bit of snow, towering over the park.

we found a hike through a meadow down to a waterfall, and it was really beautiful.

the waterfall!

the hike out had us cooling our hot feet in the river,

and had some of us having a hard time emotionally, running away, and feeling really mad at parents for bringing you on this STUPID hike. ahem. anyway. that happens on hikes from time to time, especially nearing the two week mark of a roadtrip.

after the waterfall hike, we drove to "sulfur works" which is a stink pot of fumaroles and steam vents and phosphorus stank stank stank.

the official name for this is "bubbling bird boiler" or "birdie boiler", so named from a scene featuring scar and zazu in lion king, according to our children.

look at james' face. he's always been very sensitive to smells.

weirdly, james is also the one who has the hardest time keeping a mask on his face, and i'll tell ya: masks aren't any fun, but they worked out nicely in this stink zone. i don't know why he wouldn't wear it.

back at the camp site in the high alpine of the park, near a pretty alpine lake, where spaghetti dinner was had,

and then crazyness took hold.

in the morning, we readied ourselves for a big long hike--the biggest! the highest! the longest!--of the whole trip. we knew the hike to the peak of lassen peak was a hot, windy, possibly dangerous trek up through exposed boulder fields on switchbacks, and we were not about to mess around with noon day sun. we were up with alarm clocks nice and early,

and we had our feet on the trail by 7 am.

the hike was a relentless 3 miles up up up, above the trees, in the rocks.

the few trees we did find made nice rest stops and wind shelters. the mountain was unbelievably windy, and grew windier the higher we climbed.

flowers were blooming seemingly right out of the rocks,

and the landscape was so harsh and dramatic that we couldn't stop photographing it.

as we approached the summit, there was a little less oxygen available, and little legs were tired. this became clear as attitudes started to fall apart, and these two started lying down in the middle of the trail. it weirdly got harder and harder to get these two to the top as the top got closer.

some joy returned, but with a healthy dose of trepidation, as we reached the snow field near the summit. we got to walk right through it, and the kids thought it was cool/scary/stop talking to me, mommy.

and right there in the rocks, near the top, with all that snow? wildflowers.

the final ascent was kinda dicey, with kids crying and refusing to take one step further, and me just so agitated to get to the top because i just love this stuff, and i couldn't believe what a fuss they were making, but ultimately we all got there.

the peak was all rocky crags and bad moods, but i was happy!

and of course, there in the distance is mt shasta!

they put together a smile for a family picture, and then we turned around and headed back down to the place where everyone felt like having a positive attitude again (about a half mile below summit, as it turns out).

we had a big big van lunch and then miraculously talked the kids into another hike to bumpass hell, a geothermic zone in the park. despite the hike in and the promise of stinky smells from more bubbling boilers, they were in and we were off.

the hike starts off in meadows of flowers,

then offers some great valley views,

and then dumps you out into this desolate waste land of sulfur stink.

it's just like a mini-yellowstone.

after the hike, we took our dust hot bodies to a small alpine lake near the these trailheads, and david and i jumped in. the kids sat on the rocky shore, throwing rocks, taking our picture, and having the good sense to not swim in 60 degree water.

here's the sweet zoomed in shot i got when i asked the kids to "take a picture of us swimming." i guess framing a photo is still a skill they have yet acquire...

post swim, and goosebumps galore.

back at the campsite, david took the kiddos swimming in the lake in the campground,

and they came back as chilly but still rather filthy icicles. i boiled some water to wash their feet and legs and hands and faces, and generally use to warm up. we are getting good at this van life...

then they got some rest time too

before we worked our journals for the last time,

and slept a deep and well earned sleep.

in the morning, it was time to get to the bay area, and the drive ahead promised to be long and hot hot hot. we said goodbye to the pristine green meadows and big rocky mountains,