Travels with Raindrop: Things That Go Boom!

Being Mr Geology, I have always wanted to see Mt Lassen, until Mt St Helens our most recently active volcano. Mt Lassen had an explosive eruption on May 22, 1915 which prompted Congress to create Lassen Volcanic National Park. So we proceeded to the Lake Manzanita NPS campground where we set up Camp Johns.

Mr Marco set up

on the Western flank

of Mt Lassen

A better PIC from our campsite

Think of what the view would have looked like on that day in 1515. Here is what it looked like from Anderson, California, 50 miles away:

The next morning we drove around to the North side and this is what we saw:

The Devastated North side

of Mt Lassen

Mr B F Loomis took this PIC after the May 19 eruption and just a few hours before the May 22 eruption.

Where Mr Marco stood today was stripped bare of everything by the May 19, 1915 snow avalanche and lahar and again by the May 22 explosive eruption shown in the first PIC above.

Next we drove the park road around and up onto the South shoulder of the mountain where we parked and went for a walk. You see, other RoVers have shared their PICs of a Hydrothermal area at Lassen and we just had to take the 1.5 mile walk to see it.

On the trail to

Bumpass’s Hell

When you come over the ridge this is what you see:

Bumpass Hell

hydrothermal area.
Named after Kendall V Bumpass
who lost a leg subsequent to
stepping through thin crust
and burning himself badly.

To the experienced it looks something like a miniature Norris Geyser Basin (Yellowstone National Park) and it smells like it too. These are extremely acidic features.