There were two gigantic wildfires burning in central California and Roseburg’s skies were clogged with smoke from the twin conflagrations. It stood to reason there’d be plenty more acrid smoke and ash in nearby Lassen Volcanic National Park. But 9 intrepid hikers drove three hours through dense choking smoke while the rest of the “fluffies” stayed at home. And 9 intrepid hikers were greeted with blue skies and there was much rejoicing.
Our first hike of the weekend was a 12 miler through Lassen’s lake backcountry. Beginning at Summit Lake, the trail climbed steadily through a low growing ground cover of kinnickinnick before dropping down to the Twin Lakes basin. Several small but nameless lakes were passed by before the trail spit us out next to smallish Echo Lake. From there, a short walk took us to Upper and Lower Twin Lakes, the pair of lakes separated by a small forested isthmus. Nearby Fairfield Peak loomed over Lower Twin Lake underneath a blue sky with the day starting to warm up.
A short walk on the PCT, with a visit to the backcountry ranger station, took us to the Cluster Lakes Trail, which ambled past lakes (in order) Feather, Silver, Lower Cluster, Big Bear, Little Bear, and a fair number of lesser ponds and lakelets. All of this section was in a burn zone so shade was pretty much nonexistent. To cool off, we waded in most every lake. It was a happily tired bunch that arrived at Summit Lake to close off this loop hike.
The next day, we drove out to Butte Lake to explore the trails there. Katchan, John, Penny, and Edwin headed up Prospect Peak while Joe, Helen, and Richard went to explore Cinder Cone. Each hike was daunting in its own way. Prospect Peak was long and steep while Cinder Cone was not as long but still an incredibly steep walk through leg-taxing soft volcanic ash. Amazing views of the surrounding Fantastic Lava Bed, the Painted Dunes, and Lassen Peak itself were to be had, no matter which peak was stood on. It was another tired bunch that went for a restorative swim in Butte Lake at the end of the hike.
Unfortunately, the smoke rolled in during the evening and we set out on the Lassen Peak Trail with hopes of maybe hiking above the smoke. Nice idea, but no. The trail was relentless and cruel, switchbacking to and fro the entire length of the route. At the start, stunted whitebark pines and dense mats of lupine were the only vegetation of note. And then it was all bare rock, the stark scenery resembling that of a Martian landscape.
The haze did cut down on the views and eventually the summit ridge crest was attained, where a slippery snowfield had to be negotiated. The summit was reached by a scramble up a rock pile and we could observe Edwin walking around the summit crater. After reaching the bottom, we all agreed it was much easier coming down.
The Lassen Peak hike had been short, running about 5.5 miles in length so we agreed that the short hike to Cold Boiling Lake was in order. However, the map reader (name withheld so as not to embarrass the guilty party) in Richard’s car sent that party totally in the wrong direction. They did hike the hike, but all by themselves and well behind the others.
Pictures by Richard O’Neill
Katchan Tarawawa’s pictures: https://www.flickr.com/photos/138263139@N03/sets/72157700102482514