Lassen Volcanic Park, Cinder Cone

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Went out West to do some hiking then see the Reno Air races, but the tragic crash altered those plans so we headed back to Lassen. This is one of the most impressive places I've hiked.

The Cinder Cone is a dormant volcano, last erupted in the late 1600's. The remaining cone is ~800 ft high and is surrounded by sparsely vegetated cinder fields and lava flows. You hike 2+ miles through pine, then come out to this desolate grey field w/ the enormous cone. Then once at the top, there is a crater that is maybe ~180 ft deep. The hike up the actual cone was interesting..and work. Pics just do not do this place justice.

cinderconecrop.jpg

cinderfieldcropnd.jpg


cindercratercrop.jpg
 
The least visited National Park, and one of the cleanest. There is this little hidden gem there called Drakesbad, sits right in the middle of PTC - Pacific Crest Trail..
 
11 years ago I took my then 4 year old son there (I had been a NPS Ranger there in the late 80s). He loved the hike up the cinder cone but was disappointed because he wanted to see "hot lava".
 
In New Zealand we call them scoria cones - and Auckland city is built on over 50 of them. None are bare like that,all covered in vegetation. Most were used by the Maori and were fortified...all are parks. I grew up climbing scoria cones.
 
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