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Show 1 SCENIC PLAYGROUNDS ?1 OF AMERICA i By G. M. KILBOLRN Our Only Active Volcano RAINIER, Shasta, and many other best-known peaks of the Pacific coast region were once volcanoes, and on Rainier at least, steam jets are still present, to undermine the snowbank snow-bank edges In Its mile-wide crater. But the only remaining volcano which still acts that role within the United States (exclusive of Alaska or nawall) Is Mt. Lassen, chief feature of the Lassen Volcanic National rark, northeastern California. Many Americans do not realize that there Is a real volcano Hated among their visible national assets; and the tmateur mountain climbers of the country, In the main, have overlooked the novelty of exploring a genuine glacial crater as the climax of a strenuous stren-uous but not exhaustive climb, and a rather simple one so far as difficulties of ascent are concerned. The park lies about 100 miles north of Sucramento, capital of the state, and Is most conveniently reached by auto from Redding or Red Bluff, at which train connections are also available avail-able (Shasta route of the Southern Pacific). Automobile roads approach L4?- t tr ' p 4l- , i. ? Mount Lassen. the peak from the south, and from the north by a route which finally loops to an end on the eastern slope. Trails from both roads lead to the southern ridge up which the ascent Is usuully made. The crater (unless the most recent eruptions have changed its appearance very radlcalljO Is not so much a great bowl, as it Is a topsy-turvy prairie of hardened lava, much as If a gigantic plow had furrowed a field somewhat less than a quarter of a mile across, In several different directions. Thin films of smoke emerged in many places; while little lakes of melting snow and ice were frequent neighbors of the sulphurous smoke. Cinder cone, lying about ten miles farther northeast, north-east, and with an elevation of but 6,907 feet to Lassen's 10,460, has the yawning crater that Its big brother lacks, and is also more richly colored. It is entirely across the park from Mt. Lassen, and can be readied only by trail. A loop highway which will circle the peak Is expected to be completed this year. Mount Lassen remained dormant for about 200 years just preceding Its 1914 eruptions, which continued into 1915 for a total of about 150 eruptions during dur-ing the two years. In March, 1925, a lava flow covered a part of the west slope for a distance of 1,000 feet down. Then In May came clouds of smoke which towered four miles above the mountain ; at night there were flashes of light which illuminated the smoke, and flying objects that looked like rockets. Eruptions les3 spectacular have occurred as recently as 1925 and 1926. The 1915 activity Included hot blasts which 'escaped from under the lid of the crater In a downward direction, with terrific force. On the deep snow-covered snow-covered northeast slope toward Lost and Hat creeks, "the snow was Instantly Instant-ly converted Into water, and the mighty onrush of water and host blast of gases swept everything before it for ten miles, forming a devastated belt from a few hundred yards to a mile In width. Trees three feet in dl-amter dl-amter were broken off or uprooted and the country scoured as If by a mighty sand blast. It was reported by the forest ranger that two forest fires were kindled by the eruption." ((c). 1930. Westorn Newspaper Union.) |