Show OF BEAUTY once a fiery volcano crater lake la in 0 oregon re now BOW ranks as one of the beauty spots in national parks of the west the lake which gives the park its name Is the deepest on the north american continent its color is a mysterious blue sheer sides rise to 2000 feet to the rim from the take lake surface llao liao rock on the rim of the lake is shown in this picture with mount thielson Thic Thi lson cison in the background NATURES HANDIWORK pacific coast parks show results of volcanic action features volcanoes have been a dominant factor in shaping the american landscape especially in many parts of the west three of the major volcanic exhibits of california oregon and washington have been incorporated into the national park system it was 40 years agothar ago that theodore roosevelt using the authority granted by congress the preceding year established lassen peak and nearby cinder cone as national monuments nine years later these two eions of nature were incorporated into lassen volcanic national park containing acres greatest single distinction of the park is the fact that it contains the only recently active volca national Hat flat ional parks no in the united states fourth starting may in a series 30 1914 a series of eruptions contin aed until february 1921 most spectacular in the seven year long series were the 1915 eruptions which were accompanied by extensive flows of hot lava these created the devastated area which still ranks as one of the parks points of principal interest to tourists the great cone of lassen peak rises feet above sea level As in the devastated area the cinder cone which was last active about years ago and its immediate surroundings are almost wholly devoid of vegetation underground fires have been active in this region for a long time and they have exerted their power in a variety of ways this is suggested by bumpas hell a colorful hot springs area boiling springs lake red cinder cone crater butte and the privately owned sulphur works which lies within the park AT CRATER LAKE national park in southern oregon on the crest of the cascade range Is presented the spectacle of a lake of deepest blue in the crater of mount mazama an extinct volcano many geologists have concluded that the basin occupied by the take lake which has neither inlet or outlet resulted from collapse of the volcanic cone of the ancient peak the lake is supplied with water by rainfall and snowfall as well as by snow which Is blown into it from the rim collapse of the mountains summit did not mean the end of its volcanic activity wizard island a symmetrical cinder cone was formed later and rises feet above surface of the lake covering an area of 20 square miles crater lake is 6 miles across it has a shore line of 20 miles and the multicolored multi colored cliffs of the craters rim rise to 2000 feet above it the park contains acres 0 0 HIGHEST OF ALL volcanic peaks of the western united states is mount rainier feet in elevation which is the central and dominant feature of mount rainier national park although it has long been dormant steam still issues from vents on its summit and several hot springs are found nearby at picturesquely named Ohana hot springs from the lofty central cone radiates the greatest single peak glacier system in the united states with 26 active rivers ot of ice on of these the emmons which starts from the summit of ice and snow fields Is 5 ai miles mile in length the longest glacier s in the united states most acost of 0 them extend far below the timberline john muir who perhaps did as much as any one person to further the spread of the national park idea considered the wildflower wild Hower fields oi of mount rainier the finest he had bad ever seen in all his wanderings throughout the mountains of the west the most extensive and colorful displays are found in the mountain parks which lie between the long iong rivers of ice and above the dense forests which clothe the lower elevations of the park the forests themselves virgin stands of gigantic douglas fir western rid red cedar and western hemlock are a distinguished feature particularly attractive to eastern and midwestern visitors 0 0 ALL THREE of these parks are almost as popular during the winter as in surn summer mer all of them have very heavy snowfall inow fall and all have open slopes that offer the skier every variety of skiing experience which extends into late spring and even early summer roads are kept open in each park to permit winter sports enthusiasts to reach them although the expense of plowing out the roads after every snowstorm is rather high 0 0 0 IN LASSEN volcanic national park there are public accommodations near manzanita lake close to the northwest entrance of the park at crater lake similar accommodations are situated within a short distance of the rim at mount rainier they are found at longmire about 2750 feet above sea level at paradise valley feet elevation and at Ohana hot springs in the southeast corner comer of the park public campgrounds for which no fee is charged are to be found at a number of points in each of these parks As in most of the other national parks national park service provides staffs of ranger naturalists whose job it is to help the visitor gain a better understanding of the plant and animal life of the parks and of the geological phenomena found in them RIVER OF ICE Ni squally glacier flows down the south side of mount rainier focal point in rainier national park in washington |