We left Reno after the mandatory trip to WalMart and drove through the now familiar desert heading north on Rt. 395.  Soon the desert sage brush range became interspersed with juniper, then some cedars, then irrigated fields of crops.  By the time we got to Susanville, CA (another WalMart stop) there were trees everywhere.  This is where we turned onto CA Rt. 36 toward Lassen Volcanic NP.  The evergreen forest enveloped us.  We had travelled through three different ecological areas in three hours.  We found our campground in Mineral, CA a few miles past south park entrance.  We’re camped among tall pines and cedars.  Smells wonderful. 

After dropping the camper we went to the park visitor center.  The park is located in the caldera of a volcano, so is surrounded by the remains of the cone.  Several peaks are within that area.  A road passes through the park and along the way there are various thermal features as well as breathtaking views of peaks and valleys.  Mom didn’t breathe for a part of the trip, so the road was breathtaking also.  Unfortunately the trail to the most prominent thermal features, called Bumpass Hell, was still closed because it is still snow covered.  The pictures just don’t do it justice.

 so many times, so many places

 fields in the valley between desert and pines

 Mt. Shasta in the distance

 Volcano Country RV

 Sulphur Works boiling mud

 first snow of 2013

 wildflowers and a view of a good part of the road

 and I wanted to haul the camper up this?

proof that hell has frozen over