HOT MOMMA EARTH

SHE IS STILL COOKING

      From a distance, Mt. Lassen's serene beauty hides its explosive history and active

volcanic life. Lassen Peak is one of the ring of fire and resides in the Cascade Range in Northern California.  In the frame above you can see a vestige of ancestral Brokeoff

Volcano that was active 400,000 to 600,000 years ago.  Lassen blew it's top less than 100 years ago.  It was extraordinarily active from 1915 through 1916.  It is the world's largest plug dome volcano and rises to an elevation of 10,457 feet and is still alive.

   Visitors to Lassen Volcanic National Park, can get to areas where you see evidence of

a still "cooking mother earth."  There are several places hydrothermal activity is obvious.

Bumpass Hell, Little Hot Springs, Boiling Springs Lake, Devils Kitchen and Sulphur Works are self descriptive.  This is from Sulfur works, where a sulfur steam boils up and jets into the air.

      The areas are well posted as dangerous. The steam escaping the vents can exceed 300 degrees.

     There are places where the earth boils in a thick gooey clay like substance.      

       At Devils Kitchen, the escaping sulfur steam sounds like a humming engine. This area is reachable by a beautiful hike starting at Drakesbad near southeastern entrance to the park.

       It is astounding to hear the boiling away. It is a bit intimidating, standing so close to such power under pressure.

     Walking over this little stream of hot sulfur water was like stepping through a sauna.

Surprising  given the meager amount of water flowing in the narrow stream.

      Some of the thermal crust and stones show a coloring from the years of activity.

      There is a constant change underway on the mountain and in the park.  The US

Geological Survey and the National Parks service do continual monitoring and investigations.  The park is a laboratory in that way, a place where the volcanic life of this still growing planet earth can be observed. You can not observe these forces at work and be left unimpressed or in awe.

      See you down the trail.

WHERE AND HOW IT FLOWS-RIDDLES OF STREAMS AND POWER

UNTOUCHED AT THE TOP?

       I was fascinated by how the very top of a stone in the midst of a rushing stream

at Lassen Volcanic National Park was dry, untouched by the rapidly flowing water.

       And I am fascinated by the unraveling of leadership of Murdoch's News Corp as investigations widen.  Who will remain untouched by this is a good guessing game.

We should remember that in the UK this is also an investigation into police corruption-which ranking officers in what agencies sold information to the Murdoch organization? And

a political scandal in the making-how cozy were which British politicians with the Murdoch organization. There too is an American front.  Will Murdoch's US news outlets, including the Wall Street Journal and Fox News be implicated or somehow sullied?  And to what affect.

       THE IRONY IN THIS

          At a time when many news organizations were cutting back, eliminating foreign bureaus and coverage or reducing commitment to news, Murdoch's organization was

actually strengthening staff size and resources in some of his far flung media empire. That

was good.  But apparently some of that empire was not playing by accepted rules, codes, canons or even the law.  Where this goes, rushing like a snow melt filled mountain stream will be interesting to watch.

DAYBOOK

Watching the streams of Lassen flow

See you down the trail.

THE WEEKENDER :) CARMAGEDDON

SURVIVING IN LA

As you would expect the LA media is in a frenzy

over this weekend's shut down of a portion of the

405 Freeway.  "Carmageddon" has been the big story

in the run up and is now getting saturation coverage.

One station has assigned a crew to live in an RV

beside the freeway for continuing coverage.

Well, in the spirit of THE WEEKENDER :)

here is a video tribute found and forwarded

by my long time buddy, Bruce, in Prescott Valley Az.

Enjoy

See you down the trail.

SNOW IN JULY & A HOT PRESS

IT IS BUSTING PLOWS

       This will be the latest ever to open the road through the Lassen Volcanic

national park.

              "Did you see those busted Cal Trans graders, the big guys, on your way up?"

The young mechanic asked me when I inquired as to how the crew was dong in clearing

the last 4 miles of Highway 89 that transects the park.

              "That stuff is like steel" he said.

      

        At one time 18 feet of snow covered the roads through Lassen. Even with July

temperatures, the volume this year is large and so deep, much of the park is still showing signs of the record breaking snow fall of winter.

      The only way through on some of the trails was with snow shoes or snow boots.

       We drove several miles over a winter scarred and rough road to try to reach Juniper lake at 6,700 feet, only to be foiled by impassible snow.

       Other roads and trails were also snow covered.

      I know some of you had more snow and ice this winter than you'd like to recall, 

but after all it is July in California, even in the mountains.  You can see evidence

of impact on how trees grow in these conditions.

       A common scene around the park is the road closed sign.

      Getting out and hiking though offers some rare views.

      People in the area are used to snow in the winter.  It is a way of life.  Look closely at this sign.

Spring comes late, in July, with signs of irony.

Spring blooms next to a snow cave.  It will be a short summer and I would not be

surprised if much of the snow remains until the chill and cold of autumn and

the "delivery" of a new winter in the Cascades.

Still, there is much to see at Lassen Volcanic National Park.

More to come.
HOT PRESS
The resignations of Hinton and Brooks at Murdoch's News Corp is a sign of 
something larger.  I have no crystal ball on what is to come,
but Rupert is a media baron, maybe the most influential and for that
reason this story has legs.  And so will the investigations.
There were may times when I was doing investigative reporting
that I wished I could have the power of a subpoena or the
snooping powers of a spook.  We stayed within the codes
and canons ethical journalism and still produced significant work.
It appears Murdoch's organization went way beyond
propriety.  A fall is likely then, and appropriate.

See you down the trail.

LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK

AN UNDERVALUED PARK

       More people should see Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California.

Several times during our stay, we would hear people say it is the most under visited

national park.

       North of Chico and east of Red Bluff and and Redding it is a spectacularly beautiful

park in the midst of gorgeous country and history.

       The area was a place of healing and strength for the Atsugewi, Maidu, Yana and Yahi tribes. Fur trappers entered the area in 1820. 

       The first settlers to establish homes and settlements came around 1850.

      The plugged dome volcano erupted in 1915 through 1916 and changed the landscape.

It is on the southern end of the Cascade Range, the same range of Mt. St. Helens.

      There are 150 Miles of park trails including 17 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail.

The altitude ranges between 5,000 and 8,000 plus feet and some trails include significant elevation changes.

       Aside from the sheer beauty, there is extraordinary volcanic activity.  I'm going to devote space to exploring aspects of this magnificent national park and its environs.

Today's post is a collection of scenes from our drive around the mountain. Here you'll

see the Volcano from several angles and vistas.  Enjoy

THE MANY FACES OF MT. LASSEN

I think this shot captures the grandeur of the Mountain in the midst of

of natural splendor and light.

More to come.

See you down the trail.