The Colorado statesman., 1916-09-02
VOLCANO I'M new PARK
CaIifornia's Fourth National
Playground Unique.
Ice Caves, Hot Springs, Mud Geysers
and Great Canyons Other Fea-
lures Are of Interest.

Uncle Sam has just given California
her fourth national park. The Lassen
Volcanic National park, the new pub
lie playground is unique among the
national parks OF the country in that
it is the only one which includes vol
cano that has been active in recent
years.
Lassen peak, which showed volcanic
activity only a few years ago, was set
apart as national monument in 1906.
Cinder Gone, in its immediate neigh
borhOod, was also thus distinguished
at the same time. The new national
park includes both of these remarka-
BILE volcanic monuments within its
area of $3.50 acres.
The region is one of extraordinary
interest. Among its features are Las
sen peak, 10,437 feet elevation and
still exhibiting some volcanic activity ;
North peak, 5000 feet elevation I;
Southwest peak, over $500 feet ele-
vation; Prospect peak, over $500 feet
elevation Cinder Cone, 6,907 feet ele-
vation; the Devils Half Acre, show
ing hot springs and geysers; Bumpass,
Morgan and other hot springs; seven
lakes, many interesting ice caves and
lakes of volcanic glass; numerous
trout streams and beautiful and ma
jestic canyons. There are forests of
yellow pine, fir, white pine and lodge
pole.
Prof Douglas w. Johnson of Co.
lumbia university thus describes a re-
cent visit to this great Pacific coast
volcano:
"From the summit we had magnifi-
cent views of the northern Sierras,
the Cascades, the distant coast ranges
and the mountains of the Great Basin,
a panorama which for grandeur can
be equaled at but few places in the
country.
"The products of recent volcanic ac-
tivity, the escaping steam and gases,
the ruined forests for miles to the
eastward, marking the path of the
great blast which swept destruction
before it, reminding one of the SINH
lar blast which destroyed San Pierre,
Martinique; all bore witness to the
activities of that great force of ma
ture which has always inspired man
with the greatest awe and wonder. To
be able to view such phenomena in
our own country with ease and safety
is one of the striking merits of the
Lassen peak locality.
"Within easy reach of the mountain
base are boiling lakes and springs,
mud volcanoes and other evidences of
volcanic heat which appeal most
strongly to the imagination of every
visitor. By means of saddle horses
the entire party also visited the re-
markable Cinder Cone, erupted a few
hundred years ago, and which is a
short distance to the east of the main
peak. From the base of this cone
there spread out lava flows whose
fresh, rugged surfaces give every ap-
pearance of having been erupted yes
terday, and which are in reality less
than a hundred years old. The open
ing in the vase of the Cinder Cone,
still well preserved and. easily acces-
sible to the visitor. The sides of the
cone are easily climbed, and from the
summit one may look down into IA
double crater as perfectly preserved
and as symmetrical as though the
eruption had just ceased.
"On the whole, it is difficult to i'm
agine a region where the more strik-
ing phenomena of nature are devel-
oped on grander scale or in a man
ner calculated to appeal more strong
ly to the average individual. The
Lassen peak country is so exceptional
that it has always justified special
protection because of the natural Won
ders included in the area and the ex-
cellent camping sites which favor the
summer visitor. The recent activity
of the volcano has simply added to the
wonders already existing in the dis
trict."