Once again I say, “what a day, eh ??”  Where on earth do I start ??  It’s about ½ tempting to write an auxiliary page to this one to cover all the bases.  Yesterday I spent driving - from Ely in eastern Nevada to just east of Lake Almanor in northern California.  Over 9 hours non-stop.  Found a clearing off a side road to camp in and spent a very nice evening - free.  In the morning, headed west and enjoyed the view of Mount Lassen above the wetlands of Lake Almanor…………..

This was going across the causeway into the little town of Chester and there I found a prize - a small specialty coffee shop catering to upscale locals and no franchise involved.  These little outfits can be OK, or very, very good.  Seldom bad.  This’n is a goodie.  Coffee was great - and not a dark roast - I’m not a Starbuck’s fan - and a home made apple turnover.  Saved that for later and slurped up that great coffee very quickly.  Ahhhhh………..good start.  Then headed for the mountains.  Climbing higher, the scenery kept improving and what a change from the wonderful “redlands” of Utah.  This is high alpine volcanic mountain country…………….

This was a major surprise for me.  I’d expected black volcanic lava flows and rock piles, as in New Mexico and Hawaii.  Nope, but this is still very active volcanic country and it didn’t keep me in suspense for long.  Checked in at the Ranger Station and came just a short distance into the park and right beside the road was a steam vent.  Pheeewww……….can you pronounce “hydrogen sulphide ??”  (rotten eggs).  This vent has bad breath…and is very hot…………….

Right across the road, behind a chain link fence was a boiling mud pot.  No such thing as the “cold boiling” near the Salton Sea.  ( http://gogittum.com/blog/?cat=21 )  This thing is at a full rolling boil and is very dangerous…and it stinks………………..

The highlight of the day was to be the hike into “Bumpass Hell.”  Parked in the large, scenic parking lot and started for the trail………and feasted my eyes on this big flower garden……………..

Huge alpine meadows and rocky peaks.  This is more like my old home in northern Idaho……………….

A close up view of mighty Mt. Lassen itself.  There’s a trail to the top that was tempting…………………

The 1½ mile trail to Bumpass Hell starts off muddy and with stretches of compacted snow, but not really bad going…………….

Very quickly, the trail leads around to a huge snowbank.  Climb that snowbank for a nice view of scenic Lake Helen.  The picnic area there is still buried in snow………….

These signs gave me a little chuckle.  Haven’t figured out if it should be “Bum-Pass Hell,” or “Bump-Ass Hell.”  I slipped in mud once and snow once and landed on my a– both times, so maybe the 2nd, eh ??  Of course everyone ignored the red sign……………

Now I came up with another anomaly.  Everyone’s heard about “don’t eat yellow snow,” right ??  What about pink snow ??  There was lots of this, all the way along and I was told it was from algae blooming.  Haven’t seen this since the Salton Sea a few years ago, and that’s a whole ‘nuther environment.  ( look at the 5th picture down - http://webpictures.homestead.com/salton.html ) ………………

Finally, after a mile of easy but steady uphill the trail crests and you get your 1st view of the steam works.  Signs posted all round the area caution you to stay on the boardwalks.  The crust in some areas is very thin, the mud beneath is boiling.  Not good.  This can happen in dry lakes, too, without the boiling.  Several years ago a flying friend in AlbuQuirky, NM attempted a touch down on a dry lake in his 2 seater - with his 12 year old son on board.  The surface of the dry lake was dry - an inch below was not.  The plane broke thru, the wheels stuck in the mud and the plane flipped on its’ back.  Father and son were fine, (the plane was not) but the lesson is taken.  Stay off thin crusts………………

To get closer was interesting.  The above picture was taken from a section of trail that was thick, gooey mud (yes, I do have a pic of it) and I slipped and fell on my butt - the 1st time.  Then to get down there, had to work my way down a long, steep stretch of fairly compacted snow.  Landed on my butt the 2nd time.  This area is all topsy turvy……..I imagine from snow loads in the winter time, but it sure looks odd now…………..

At the bottom, the steaming vents are far larger than I expected…………….

The “pond” below it has been checked at 322º F………one of the hottest in the world.  The whole area stinks of hydrogen sulphide and the little creek that flows away not only stinks, but is just the perfect temperature for a hot tub.  I was Very Careful in testing it………………

Farther along, more ponds are boiling away, but not quite so hot.  Still wouldn’t do you much good to fall in……………….

Another vent sends smelly steam across the boardwalk…………………

The creek flowing out is the most messed up I’ve ever seen.  There’s mud, silt, rock, soil, flowers, trees, algae, (several colors) bacteria, (several colors) weeds and grass……and more mud……and hydrogen sulphide…………….

Coming back out, I passed this rock slide that I’d completely missed on the way in.  There were few people in here while I was here, but coming out I passed hordes on their way in.  While waiting - for the umpteenth time - for someone to go past (don’t bet on them waiting for you) - I looked up from where my hand was braced and saw this.  How do you miss something like this ??  If one of those slipped………………..

I had gone in at 10:00 AM and come out at 1:15 PM.  The difference was night and day.  It was jammed with people on my return.  I was told it’s because of the approaching July 4th weekend, even tho’ this is only Thursday.  The parking lot for the Mt. Lassen summit climb was packed, so I by-passed that.  I was also looking forward to the big waterfall on King Creek and the parking areas on both sides of the road were plugged with cars.  Phooey.  Headed on out.  On the way, I was treated to the reverse scene of the early morning.  Here’s Lake Almanor from Mt Lassen…….and speaking of Almanor, now was the time for that apple turnover that I’d saved from this morning.  I think I’ll go and kidnap the cook - that turnover was wonderful and I was hungry.  It really hit the spot………………

Well, I gotta call a halt to this or go all night.  From here I went to the “Subway” lava tube/cave near Old Station, then to Burney Falls not too far ahead.  Both were neat, both have pictures, but this page is plenty big already.                             Lar.

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Larry Bourne
Santa Fe, NM
www.gogittum.com
www.gogittum.com/blog

Posted: July 28th, 2009 under 09 Vacation, 09-7-2 Lassen Volcanic Park.
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