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400,000 years ago there was a volcano that erupted and almost completely destroyed itself. What's left of this volcano is called Mt. Lassen and its peak stands 10,457 feet above sea level in the northeastern part of California. It exploded big time in 1914, some of which was caught on film. It's still geothermally active: brewing, bubbling and spittin' out steam and sulpher. Some areas of Mt. Lassen are reportedly getting hotter, which means it's likely to erupt again in the future.

Mt. Lassen is mostly quite heavenly: steep glaciated valleys, clear mountains streams and lakes surrounded by lush pine forests and fields of wildflowers.
But when the boyfriend and I went there with
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There once was a man named Kendal Bumpass. He loved to wander in Mt. Lassen's hydrothermal areas. Then he stepped in a boiling mud pot and lost a leg. After that he didn't like it so much. In fact, he said it was a descent into hell. People couldn't help refering to this area as, "Bumpass Hell." Let's hope, dear readers, you will never have an entry way into hell named after you!
Bumpass Hell [below]

From what I understand, this is a fumarole [below]. Fumaroles are vents that let out volcanic gases emitted by magma cooling at great depths.

Sulfuric acid eats the rocks and leaves behind a white, powdery mixture of silica, kaolinite and aluminum.

A mud pot is the intermediate phase between a fumarole and a boiling spring.

I do not want to lick these boiling mud pots. I do not want to marry them or hump them or have their hissing, sulpheric little magma babies. I do not want this Sam I am.

Scorched earth.

Mt. Lassen Volcanic National Park - Part II - "Subway Caves" coming to a friends page near you...
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Date: 2006-08-16 05:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-16 08:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-16 11:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-16 01:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-16 05:23 pm (UTC)I've hiked Lassen to the top, stayed at Drakesbad and Hat Creek, saw Burney Falls, and hiked all-around. It's sooooo beautiful. There's a Wild Horse Sanctuary that makes for a nice sidetrip on the return home: http://www.wildhorsesanctuary.org/
Sorry if you know all this - I just got a little excited over your post - I needed the wonderful break from cubicle hell.
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Date: 2006-08-16 11:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-17 12:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-17 12:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-17 12:57 pm (UTC)Trinity Alps
Date: 2006-08-17 01:42 pm (UTC)http://javachickn.livejournal.com/303504.html
I've only explored a tiny slice of the Trinity Alps: Beegum Gorge. I wrote about it and posted some pics last trip about camping there but you may not have been my lj buddy at that time so here's a link:
http://createdestiny.livejournal.com/51812.html
no subject
Date: 2006-08-16 09:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-18 02:04 pm (UTC)rocks that rock you
Date: 2006-08-19 09:06 pm (UTC)Wow!
Date: 2006-08-21 03:31 pm (UTC)I loved the bump ass pass, too! I find it ironic that the volcano exploded in 1914 because that was the year your grandma was born. She always was a hottie! Can we go there, too? We want to see it all! Love ya lots, Mom