Distance: 5.3 miles round trip on trail and use trail
Summit Elevation: 10462'
Prominence: 5246'
Elevation Gain: 2100'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 1.6
Round trip time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Recommended water: 54 oz.
Parking/Fees: $30 National Parks Fee or National Parks Pass
Difficulty: Moderate
Leisa and I finally made it to Lassen Volcanic National Park. We made the trip in 2021, only to find the park closed due to the Dixie Fire. That fire burned 73,240 acres in the park and we couldn't see anything from the visitor center. We diverted to Reno for Rose Peak. In 2022, a harsh winter prevented snow plows from clearing the road to the trailhead. In 2024, the Park Fire closed the park again. 2025 turned out to be our year. No nearby fires and most of the snow had melted. Since we were visiting on a busy Labor Day weekend, we started at sunrise. The parking lot when we started had less than 10 cars.
We started at sunrise up the groomed, sandy trail, admiring the frequent switchback trail work. We had great views of Helen Lake and Lake Almanor in the distance. It's a relatively short hike, only 2.5 miles to the summit and we did it in one push. The only curve ball was a strong, steady 25mph wind that hit us with a half mile to go. It wasn't in the weather forecast, so I left my windbreaker behind. Leisa had a hoody, so at least she had some protection. We had to guard against our hats getting blown off the mountain. We reached a flat area short of the summit where there were several informative signs, then proceeded on a use trail toward the summit. We had to cross a permanent snow field that had a deep boot track worn into it. No special precautions required. Then, an easy scramble up to the high point. A benchmark was set in a boulder at the high point and someone left a hand bell for celebratory rings. As is the case with most popular peaks, there was no register. After photos, we dropped down into the crater where we found more snow and jagged deformed rocks. There were no signs of fumaroles or other dangers. The descent was uneventful, but we passed over 100 eager hikers on their way up. The parking lot was full when we got back. Climbing this P5K Ultra was a satisfying start to our visit in the park.
No comments:
Post a Comment