Day 16 - Lassen Day 1

We have only a brief lie-in to recover from the drive back from Yosemite before we return our rental car. We had been planning to go shopping with Lesley after returning the car so that we could buy food for the weekend camping trip in Lassen but she’s far too excited by the weekend, as are we, and she has everything bought and ready when we get back. Our contribution now is trying to pack it all into her car and we manage it after a bit of re-jigging. We’re now up to four chairs, a larger tent, five roll mats, three sleeping bags, two large coolers, a small stove, various blankets and of course our own bags and ourselves!

We set off at lunchtime and grab a sandwich (and ice cream) on the way. Laura and Aaron are setting off at 3pm and so we will meet them at the campsite. Four hours of driving later and we get into the park. Our first stop is at the visitor centre and it’s fascinating to find out the history of this volcanic park and see which areas are active or dormant, how the new rock is affecting the landscape and how there are so many different geothermal features in this one small area. What’s amazing too is the amount of snow we can see around. It turns out that the park itself only opened to the public last week because of the heavy snow that was persisting all around the park. Although open, there are still many areas that are covered in snow, one being a famous geothermal area called Bumpass Hell.  There is still a lot of snow still on Mount Lassen itself but apparently the trail is open. On hearing this we know that it will be our destination tomorrow.

On the way through the park to the campsite we stop off beside the road as there’s a geothermal area practically on the kerbside. We see bubbling mud-pools and eggy steam coming from vents in the ground. Some of the rocks around the steam vents are yellow from the sulphur and the area is definitely alive!

We stop again at the site of Lake Helen and Bumpass Hell as the area is just covered in snow! Most of the lake is still frozen and we explore the banks in our sandals.

Despite our head-start we’re at the campsite less than an hour before Laura and Aaron arrive, but we at least have managed to get the tent up, chairs out and kettle on.

Scott and Aaron are put in charge of the fire and make a manly claim to be able to light it without using any paper to get it going. Do they manage without using “pussy paper”? Well only they know as Laura is busy preparing some veg that they have picked that afternoon in their garden and I’m rearranging the coolers so that one is dedicated to drinks whilst trying to swat the mosquitoes that love us here as our pitch is beside a “lake”.

Beer in hand, food on the campfire and mozzie repellent in the air; it’s great to be together out here.