Volcanoes and Lava Beds

Volcanos! California has lots of them. You don't have to go to Yellowstone or Washington State to explore and enjoy them. Come with us on our Volcanic Legacy Excursion this August 5-13 to visit Mt. Lassen Volcanic National Park, Lava Beds National Monument, and the largest Volcano in California, Mt. Shasta.

We plan to fly to Sacramento, and proceed to the Lassen Park area in vans. We will be exploring the hydrothermal areas of Bumpass Hell and Devils Kitchen in Lassen, walk through grassy meadows filled with wildflowers and running streams, and perhaps, if you are so inclined, you can even walk to the summit of Lassen Peak (5 miles rt, 2000 ‘gain and loss). On our way to Lava Beds, we will stop at MacArthur-Burney Falls to experience one of the most fascinating waterfalls in the state.

Upon arriving in the vicinity of Lava Beds, we will stop by the site of one of the largest WW II Japanese-American segregation camps at Tulelake, California and visit the museum and the Tulelake Camp which was used as a CCC camp in the 30's, a place to isolate some 200 Japanese- Americans from the main segregation center, and ultimately was a prisoner of war camp for German and Italian prisoners.

We will spend a day and half in the Lava Beds, exploring Lava Tubes among other attractions. The tubes, or caves as they are often called are formed with the outside of the lava cools and the inside stays hot and continues to flow, leaving tubes or caves you can walk into.

In addition, we will explore Captain Jack's Stronghold where Captain Jack and his band of Modoc Indians held off the US Army for over six months in the last Indian war in the US.

We will finish the trip by spending a couple of nights in the small town of Mount Shasta. While there we will visit the Shasta Museum, the Shasta Caverns, Shasta Dam, and go for a hike at timberline, 2/3rds of the way up on Mount Shasta itself.

The hikes in all three locations will generally be up to 5 miles round trip at altitude levels at 8,000 to 11,000 feet so we recommend physical conditioning suitable for the demands at that level.

This 8 day, 7 night trip will cost $1150 with SC# ($1250 for nonmembers) and includes lodging (double occupancy), transportation to/from Sacramento Airport and all trip transportation, admission, most breakfasts, some lunches and Happy Hours. Airfare extra. Send 2 sase or email, $500 deposit (Sierra Club -- balance due by 5/1/11). to Mike Sappingfield, 26352 Via Juanita, Mission Viejo, CA 92691. Leaders: David F Eisenberg, Mike Sappingfield