Cinder Cone Volcano
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Day Two in Lassen was all about the Cinder Cone volcano. From our campground it would have been a 7 mile hike across the wilderness, but by road it turned into a much longer journey, about an hour’s drive. Along the way we stopped at the Subway Cave, a lava tube left behind by an ancient lava flow. With flashlights in hand we walked through the pitch black tunnel, a cool reminder of how powerful the forces that shaped this park still are.
Subway Cave Lave Tube
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The final stretch down Butte Lake Road to the trailhead was a long, bumpy ride that rattled us plenty. So bumpy that the next day Danny had to crawl under the car and tighten the suspension. I later discovered a pair of sunglasses on the dash lost a leg because a screw came undone.
From the trailhead we took in the calm waters at Butte Lake before setting off toward the Cinder Cone Volcano. The trail started flat through loose volcanic sand with lava rocks on our left and then gradually worked its way to the base of the cone. From there, hikers have two options: climb straight up the front or loop around and take the back side. After referring to the AllTrails map, the back side's steep ascent looked a touch shorter, so we chose that route.
The climb was brutal. The grade ranges from thirty to fifty percent, all on loose gravel and sand. Every step up slid a half step back. I kept staring at the summit, feeling like it never got any closer. The only thing that kept us moving was pausing to look around at the scenery. With each bit of height, new views opened up: the Painted Dunes spread out in brilliant color, huge swaths of jagged lava fields stretched for miles, and in the far distance a lonely blue lake broke up the volcanic landscape. The higher we climbed, the more incredible it became, and that gave us the push to keep going.
At the top was the real reward: a massive crater blown out of the volcano’s center. We hiked down into it, where past visitors had stacked a rock pile in the middle. Danny and I each dropped a rock on top to pay homage to the volcano. Then we climbed back out and circled the rim for the sweeping views of the Painted Dunes, the Fantastic Lava Beds, and Lassen Peak in the distance.
For the steep descent we took the front side. Gravity and soft soil worked in my favor and I bounded downhill, letting the loose cinders cushion each step. I passed uphill hikers who were red-faced and grimacing, and even downhill folks picking their way slowly and carefully. Clearly they hadn’t practiced on the Great Sand Dunes in Colorado or White Sands in New Mexico. Sand plus a steep slope plus running down equals a whole lot of fun.
From the trailhead we took in the calm waters at Butte Lake before setting off toward the Cinder Cone Volcano. The trail started flat through loose volcanic sand with lava rocks on our left and then gradually worked its way to the base of the cone. From there, hikers have two options: climb straight up the front or loop around and take the back side. After referring to the AllTrails map, the back side's steep ascent looked a touch shorter, so we chose that route.
The climb was brutal. The grade ranges from thirty to fifty percent, all on loose gravel and sand. Every step up slid a half step back. I kept staring at the summit, feeling like it never got any closer. The only thing that kept us moving was pausing to look around at the scenery. With each bit of height, new views opened up: the Painted Dunes spread out in brilliant color, huge swaths of jagged lava fields stretched for miles, and in the far distance a lonely blue lake broke up the volcanic landscape. The higher we climbed, the more incredible it became, and that gave us the push to keep going.
At the top was the real reward: a massive crater blown out of the volcano’s center. We hiked down into it, where past visitors had stacked a rock pile in the middle. Danny and I each dropped a rock on top to pay homage to the volcano. Then we climbed back out and circled the rim for the sweeping views of the Painted Dunes, the Fantastic Lava Beds, and Lassen Peak in the distance.
For the steep descent we took the front side. Gravity and soft soil worked in my favor and I bounded downhill, letting the loose cinders cushion each step. I passed uphill hikers who were red-faced and grimacing, and even downhill folks picking their way slowly and carefully. Clearly they hadn’t practiced on the Great Sand Dunes in Colorado or White Sands in New Mexico. Sand plus a steep slope plus running down equals a whole lot of fun.