Four photos to explain Lassen Peak

Here are four examples of what intrigue and renew me  every time I go to Lassen.   There are parts of the mountain that are barren.  The fury of the volcano is in evidence even though it last erupted more than 95 years ago.  The weather conditions at the top in the winter are fierce - they claim that it can have 50 feet of snow.   The trial is often not clear of snow until later in the summer.   And you still see the sharper side of nature. As you drive on Route 36 you can see some of the evidence of the eruption more than an hour away from the park.

Then there are the stark contrasts.  Lake Helen, in the second picture, is a constant reminder as you go up and down the trail of the beauty of the place.   One of my favorite shots is the one presented in the earlier post - where the mountain is reflected in this pristine lake.

The third shot shows a chipmunk consuming a peanut butter cracker.  As you get to the top of the mountain you surpass the timberline but as you get to the top there are still splotches of color in flowers and evidence of life.   One of my surprises yesterday was as I was reviewing my couple of hundred photos from this trip to find a bird captured in flight taken at the top of the mountain.  The area can be a constant surprise, if you look.  

The final shot shows a group of flowers growing out of stone.   There are numerous examples of this kind of contrast all over the mountain.  

So there you are.   These and other things have kept bringing me back to this place for almost 50 years.