Kevin, the dogs and I packed the motorhome and headed up to Lassen Volcanic National Park and Forest from 8/28/09-8/30/09. Lassen Peak last erupted in 1915 and is part of a chain of active volcanoes at the southern end of the Cascade mountain range. Hydrothermal activity continues today with steaming vents (fumaroles), boiling sulphur springs and bubbling mudpots. The peaks are surrounded by firs, pines, lakes and streams.
This steaming vent is part of an area called Sulphur Works. The smell is unreal. This is just one reminder of the activity that exists below the surface.
Lake Helen was a gorgeous oasis on a hot summer day. Kevin took the boys for a swim (maybe they
took him)! Afterward, they jumped up and got mud all over me while a nearby young boy kept saying "oh, look at the dogs!" Yeah, thanks kid! The closer he got, the crazier they became.
This is a view from a trail above leading to Bumpass Hell, a hotbed of hydrotherm
al activity. The water is so boiling hot and the crusted layers over the water are so thin that the only way to see the Bumpass Hell area is to utilize the boardwalk built for tourists. The yellow areas on the ground are sulfate crystals. The bubbling of the mud and water is so pressurized, it actually sounds like a waterfall. However, it smells like the foulest sulphur spring you could ever imagine. It makes rotten eggs smell like roses!
The area was very beautiful with mountains and evergreens surrounding us from above.
Check out the videos of the boiling sulphur springs, mudpots and steam vents!
Overlooking the park as we were driving down the trail.
The second night we left the boundary of the park and pulled into a quiet area in the National Forest to camp. A small stream lulled us to sleep nearby. The last day we climbed a huge boulder, which gave us a great view of the area. If you look closely, you can see a glimpse of the motorhome behind the trees.
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