A KNOCKOUT DAY TRIP TO LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK

While it poured rain in Redding on Tuesday and Wednesday, snow fell in the high country.  Foolish us – since the temperatures in Redding were so mild, we never gave a thought to winter’s arrival.

Today, when the skies in Redding finally cleared and the temperatures were forecast to be in the low 80’s, it seemed the perfect day for a trip to Lassen Volcanic National Park.  We put soup in the Crockpot, packed up our picnic lunch, and took off.

It’s not a long drive to the north entrance of the park from Redding – 35 miles or so?  We rounded a corner heading for the entrance kiosk and were SHOCKED to see a bright orange sign that proclaimed “ROAD CLOSED 10 miles ahead”.  We groaned in unison.  Bummer.

Well, we were there, and the weather was perfect – blue skies and seventy degrees – so we decided to head on into the park and see what we could see along the ten miles of open road.  As we flashed Odel’s Golden Age “get in free” card at the ranger in the kiosk, we asked where we could hike this side of the closure… and she mentioned she had just heard that the road through the park (high point is 8512 ft.) MIGHT be opening in two or three hours.  YIPPEE!

We found a sunny picnic table for our p-b-and-j’s, then took a leisurely hike around Manzanita Lake, still snow-free (top photo).  Considering the snow on Mt. Lassen, you might think it would have occurred to us to check road conditions before driving up, no?

Well, I’m glad we didn’t, because the road DID open at 2 pm.  By then we had completed a couple more short hikes and were ready to ride, so away we went, heading for the summit.

Look at all that snow!  It was the perfect day for a visit: shockingly blue sky, shirtsleeve temperatures, and very few other visitors dawdling along the road gazing and gawking this way and that.  We wandered around where there was bare ground, then drove the short distance down from the summit to Lake Helen to eat our apples and absorb the beauty of the pristine snow, the deep green trees, and the unbelievable blue sky.  Look at the reflection of Lassen in the lake (double click to enlarge the photo)!

We suffered only one disappointment: the trail to Bumpass Hell, an area of hot geology (bubbling mud pots, fumaroles, steam vents and hot streams) was unusable, covered in snow.  Too bad – it is a favorite hike of ours.  Oh, well – next time!  On our way south, near the big Visitor Center, we stopped at Sulpher Works, a roadside hot spot, and enjoyed the bubbling mud, the steam vents, and the rotten egg smell.  :)

Then we were out of the park, heading downhill and back to the 80+ degree temperatures of Redding.  For our entertainment on the ride home, we had along my early birthday present, a talking GPS that we ASSUME will make our travels – in the Jeep – in unfamiliar cities a little easier.  I’m still getting the hang of it, and she does get mighty annoyed when we take a path not recommended by her calculations.  On this trip, we struck off onto a series of back roads that looked (on the map, which I still carry along and probably always will) shorter and more interesting than her interstate freeway route – something we probably would not have done without the GPS along.  She handled it with grace and I learned a bit more.  Quite entertaining!

YOU, TOO, CAN WIN! …plus AN INTERESTING COMPARISON

A couple of weeks ago, after I wrote about our hike to the Heceta Head Lighthouse and beyond, I received an email from Melissa Deats. She was interested in republishing the blog post and photos on her own website, RoadTripJournal.com. Of course, I was flattered and said “yes”.

Now that post has been added to the RoadTripJournal’s “Readers Choice Award” for October, along with posts from four other blogs. Here is what Melissa’s web page says:

“Read our favorite articles submitted by bloggers and vote for your favorite! Choose the article that makes you want to visit the destination the most. The blogger with the most votes will win a $100 gas card to help keep them traveling.

“What's in it for you? You could win a $100 gas card too!! Read each of our favorites below, then click on the survey link to choose your favorite! Make sure you enter your email address to be entered to win the prizes!”

Now, I wouldn’t mind winning a $100 gas card – and you might like one, too. If so, click here to read the 5 entries and cast your vote. Here’s hoping we both win – and thanks for your support. :)

A few of us travel bloggers (especially Al of Travels With the Bayfield Bunch) and readers have recently discussed blog background colors and how the choice of a deeper background color can enhance photographs, making them “pop” off the screen. When Melissa reprints blog posts, she uses a white background, losing the original post’s colors, fonts and format. Curious? Compare her reprint with the original post – it’s a great illustration of the impact of a blogger’s customization choices.

One last comment: As I sit snuggled inside here in stormy northern California writing this post, I am acutely aware of how much I enjoy connecting with all of you – across the country and in a few others, besides. I write about our travels because I enjoy writing… but interacting with readers through comments and emails certainly deepens the enjoyment! Reader Mac of Couple of Nuts Travel Notes emailed me last week to say that my mini-series on Buying an RV had helped the “Nuts” make their decision on which RV to purchase – and it put a big smile on my face to know that something I had written had been helpful in that way. So, THANKS, readers – your friendship and engagement is much appreciated by Odel and me.

Now, back to our regular programming… :)

CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK – A TOO-QUICK VISIT

Take one 12,000 foot volcano, blow out the interior and drop the top 5,000 feet, fill the resulting crater with rainwater and snow melt.  The result? 

The deepest lake in the United States, intensely blue, surrounded by rock walls so sheer that lake access is limited to one steep trail.  With no inlet or tributaries (and no outflow other than seepage and evaporation), the water is some of the purest in the world… and since the great depth of the lake absorbs all but the blue wavelengths of light, it’s intensity is startling.

Several of the national parks we have visited have this characteristic in common: they remain hidden until you arrive.   The Grand Canyon doesn’t reveal itself until you are about to go over the edge.  Yosemite Valley is virtually invisible until you round that last corner. 

Crater Lake, hidden in the ancient caldera high above the surrounding landscape, remained hidden from non-native eyes from the time of it’s creation 7,700 years ago (give or take a few) until 1853.  Visitors today can drive the rim road to view the lake from all directions… but you see no sign of what awaits until you crest the caldera’s rim.  That first view is a spectacular shock.

Our last visit to Crater Lake was five years ago.  Last week, after our repairs were completed in Eugene, a check of the weather showed a three day window of good weather for a quick return trip.  We pinpointed an Oregon State Park with a campground just 25 miles from the national park, and took off.  The fact that our friends Jeff and Margaret, full timers we met at Catalina State Park in Arizona last March, were already settled in Collier Memorial State Park (read our review here) increased our anticipation of a great weekend.  

We didn’t expect a campground in the high desert of Oregon to be full in October, and were glad we arrived by 1 pm, as sites were already mostly full.  We snagged the site next door to Jeff and Margaret, set up our home, and took off for an exploratory walk.

Collier Memorial campground is located at the junction of two rivers, Spring Creek and Williamson River.  A trail from the campground went directly to the bank of incredibly clear Spring Creek, and continued upstream to a bridge crossing to the Collier Memorial Logging Museum.  We did a brief exploration, then continued on our hike along the riverside, through a stand of golden quaking Aspen, admiring the falls colors against a backdrop of blue sky and blue water.

When we returned, Jeff and Margaret were back at their rig, and we made plans to meet at the campfire after dinner – the start of a “tradition” that we enjoyed each of the three nights we camped there.   Since we all had plans to visit Crater Lake the next day, we decided to meet at the Crater Lake Lodge for lunch.

Though the lodge’s Great Room and dining room are impressive, lunch – unfortunately – was not.  The lodge and restaurant close on October 11, we dined on October 10 – and our waitress was soooo ready for that last day!   The food was… well, “OK” sums it up for me.  The limp leaf of lettuce that adorned my burger must have been the last one left in the refrigerator.  Fortunately, the company was sparkling, as was the view.

Odel and I took off on a hike after lunch, but the slight breeze made the 49 degree high temperature too chilly for us.  Instead, we hopped back into the Jeep and followed the rim road around the perimeter of the lake, stopping at all the recommended viewpoints to marvel at the lake and various interesting geological features. 

Near the end of the drive, we followed a spur road seven miles south to the Pinnacles, formed when columns of hot gasses forced their way up through volcanic dust when the area was still geologically active.  Now, as the softer volcanic soil erodes, the hardened spires reveal their interesting shapes and colors.

A short trail leads along the canyon edge, and before long, we found ourselves leaving the national park via the east entrance… not a road, just a trail.   Odel posed on our return to the car.

Over the weekend, we checked the weather forecast regularly, hoping the rain/snow set to arrive on Monday night would be delayed or – better yet – a false alarm so we could spend a few more days in Oregon.  No such luck; the amount of rain and the wind speeds seemed to increase each time we checked.  The possibility of snow, and of high winds blowing through thick stands of tall pines, moved us into high gear and we hit the road by 10 am this morning.  Destination: somewhere south, somewhere warmer.

Three hours later we were settled into a site at the Redding Elks lodge, a frequent stop for us on the I-5 corridor.  Rain is forecast for tonight, increasing to very heavy tomorrow, along with a wind advisory for gusts up to 40 mph.  Not a day to be on the road, so we’re planning to stick around for a few days until the autumn sunshine returns.   Goodbye, Oregon!