Our fourth National Park of this trip, Lassen Volcanic National Park. In May of 1914 Lassen Peak produced the most recent eruption in the mainland United States (until Mount St. Helens.in 1980). A local photographer was nearby and captured pictures of the eruption. This is a rare area where all four types of volcanos exist in close proximity.
- Shield: broad and rounded, it is formed by repeated outpourings of fluid lava.
- Cinder Cone: just what it says. We visited one earlier in our trip, Capulin Volcano.
- Plug Dome: created when the lava is too thick to flow far.
- Composite: layers of volcanic rock, lava, cinders, and ash.
On the night of May 15, 1915 a homesteader was awakened by his dog. Thinking that predators were nearby he went out to discover a 12-foot wall of debris coming down the creek. He ran to his six neighbors allowing them to escape. There was no loss of life.
-
- After the first eruption a seismograph was placed. There are now many.
-
- Old seismograph.
-
- Chaos Jumbles where an avalanche from the northwest face of Chaos Crag collapsed..
-
- A little glacier.
-
- A stream flows through the meadow.
-
- The stream in the meadow from above.
-
- Hot Rock. The avalanche from Lassen Peak carried this 300-ton rock 5 miles. When it was first observed it was still sizzling in the water.
-
- The Hot Rock has cooled since 1915. I checked.
-
- Benjamin F. Loomis Historical Photograph Collection: Devastated Area showing track of Lassen Peak mud flow with Chaos Crags in background and several men sitting by tree at right. The tree shows damage from mudflow
-
- Lake Helen. One of several lakes in the park.
-
- Image 3 of photographer B. F. Loomis’ photos of the eruption. From the National Park Gallery.
Lassen Volcanic was our 37th National Park visited. I’d like to get to all 63, but one is in American Samoa and one is in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Of the remaining 61, two or more are accessible only by boat and one only by plane.