Lassen National ParkJul 19 2017

Old Station

Jul202017
Map thumbnail of location

Phew, I don't have to backtrack 19 miles today, so I can do what I wanted to do: go through Lassen National Park. If I make it through in one day, then I don't need to carry bear protection for my food.

Sadly, while Lassen is beautiful and unique, the route that they chose for the PCT was ... generic. I mean sure, it was pretty, but it totally skips all of the volcanic features. Oh well, stunning quiet lakes will have to do.

Like this one.Like this one.

And burns.

Tree carcasses.Tree carcasses.

Around 11am, I finished the 17-mile stretch and exited Lassen. Next stop was Old Station, where I could get dinner at a great little place called JJs Cafe.

Cinnamon roll with dinner? Sure why not.Cinnamon roll with dinner? Sure why not.

After dinner, I stopped by a nearby geological curiosity, called the Subway Caves. These are some lava tubes that you can walk through, with the help of a headlamp since it's pitch dark down there. As such, I don't have many pictures from down there, but if you just close your eyes, you'll get a pretty good idea.

The very beginningThe very beginning

Finally, I started the climb up to the start of the next (last?) hot, dry stretch of trail: Hat Creek Rim. It's a 30-mile piece of trail without water, and it gets brutally hot during the day. My plan is to do some of it this evening and then get up early and do the rest before it gets hot. Plus, I'll get to watch the sunset from the rim!

Pretty.Pretty.
Burney Mountain Guest RanchJul 21 2017