Cluster Lakes Loop

I just love Lassen Volcanic National Park. It has lakes, mountains, a volcano, grassy meadows, and miles and miles of beautiful hiking trails. What's not to like? After visiting the park last year, I returned to Roseburg waving my hands like some wild-eyed zealot extolling the virtues of the One True Park. Apparently, all that fervent proselytizing was to some avail, because eight other hiking disciples and converts joined me for a long weekend of hiking fun at Lassen Volcanic National Park.

So many choices, and all involve lakes!

This year, our first hike was probably the toughest, if only for its 12 mile length. Last summer I had hiked the section of trail that ambled next to beautiful Twin Lakes and a part of the current trek would follow in my footsteps past the Twin Lakes. The route on this day would also incorporate a section of the Pacific Crest Trail (or PCT as we like to call it) and return through a burn zone past a series of scenic little lakes.

Lassen Peak rules

With all the lakes encountered on this hike, it should come as no surprise that we began at Summit Lake. Initially, the path went past a series of trail intersections (I did say Lassen Park was full of trails, didn't I?) before charging briskly uphill through sparse trees and thick mats of low-growing kinnickinnick bushes. The expansive view quickly opened up to massive Lassen Peak, the park's centerpiece, and nearby Reading Peak. 

One of many small, nameless lakes

Fortunately, the climb was short in duration, eventually leveling out atop a scenic bench before dropping down to the lakes. At first, there was a series of small nameless lakes reposing below rock piles formed by the surrounding mountains. Echo Lake was the first encountered lake worthy of a name and at first look, was quite pretty and charming. But given the context of all the other lakes hiked to on this hike, it was actually fairly nondescript by comparison.

Upper Twin Lake

In my opinion the Twin Lakes win the Most Scenic Lake(s) prize. They were the largest of the bunch and Lower Twin Lake had the extra bonus of having Fairfield Peak looming at the end of it while sunlight sparkled on the lake's surface like so many glistening diamonds. Our walking pace slowed up somewhat as most of us had cameras and were using them: the scenery just demanded appreciative photography.

Katchan is overjoyed to see a ranger station

The PCT broke away from the Twin Lakes and we hiked north on a small piece of the long-distance trail. A point of interest was the backcountry ranger station which was closed. A sign there advised that bears are attracted by odors and I thought that was inconvenient, seeing as how we were all going four days without a shower on this outing. Good thing I didn't eat spaghetti the evening before, if you get my smelly meaning and enough said about that.

Lunch at Feather Lake

Once we turned onto the Cluster Lakes Trail, the forest disappeared entirely, replaced by miles and miles of ghostly white snags, the skeletal remains of a forest that had been incinerated in a wildfire about five or six years ago. The day was beautifully sunny yet still cool; the hiking was quite pleasant as we trod up a gentle slope. After several miles, we stopped for lunch at idyllic Feather Lake which had no feathers at all but did have a nice beach and lots of dead trees surrounding it.

The trail did a walk-by of Silver Lake

After a luxurious lunch and laze, we resumed hiking and less than a mile later, we came unto Silver Lake, with a partial view of Lassen Peak. And less than a mile later, we passed by the Cluster Lakes, the blue waters visible behind the white tree trunks. See a trend? Yup, we visited a lot of lakes as we circled through the Lassen Park backcountry. 

Watch out for falling trees

However, the longest stretch of lakeless hiking occurred as we left the Cluster Lakes. I was bringing up the rear, as the day had warmed up and the sun was sucking the energy right out of my legs. A small tree falling about twenty yards behind me got me walking a little bit faster for a mile or two. I caught up to Penny and Peggy and was telling them about the tree and right on cue, we heard the crash of another tree meeting its demise somewhere in the forest.

Big Bear Lake

We had two bear encounters on this hike. That's right, we visited Big Bear and Little Bear Lakes. Little Bear invited a foot soak and wade as we took a break from the increasingly hot work of hiking through a shadeless forest. A long climb awaited us after the lakes, a daunting task when legs were cooked noodle soft by the constant heat.

Little bears at Little Bear Lake

After passing a small nameless lake with some nice backpacking campsites, and after climbing the last hill, we returned to the level bench overlooking Summit Lake. Katchan, as his wont, had left us all to eat his dust as he sped down the trail. He doubled back and met us as we were descending to Summit Lake and he was bearing gifts: a large bottle of Gatorade. It tasted awesome and made all the hiking worth it. All life should be like an ice cold Gatorade after a 12 mile hike.

All in all , another great hike

For more pictures of this hike, please visit the Flickr album.

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Crack-in-the-Ground, Fort Rock, and Homestead Village

After 8 fun-filled days in the Oregon outback, it was time to go home.  So John, Merle and I tossed our gear and man funk (we hadn't showered in 8 days) into the car and began the journey home. Even though we were leaving, we had to get some last hikes in before returning to the unreal world.

Nature's plumber's crack

The first stop was at Crack-in-the-Ground, near Christmas Valley. Having been to Christmas Valley, I think it safe to say that Santa does not live there and the residents don't not look like elves or Santa's helpers.

John and Merle get cracking

Eons ago, four nearby cones erupted and covered the land with extensive lava flows. However, as the magma chamber emptied, the earth shrunk like a deflated balloon and the the ground sunk, causing a large crack to form in the hardened lava flow. The net result is a two mile crack with a trail at the bottom in what arguably is the largest plumber's crack in the world. The path is narrow and most times both walls can be touched with one arm span. It is not your hike if you are claustrophobic.

She did not make us feel welcome

When Merle, John, and I exited the crack, a hawk screeched at us in obvious irritation. She no doubt wanted us to keep away from her nest which was probably nearby. Horseflies also greeted us, but in bloodsucking joy with no distress. The only non-nest-related distress was that of victimized hikers.  

Fort Rock

Further down the road, we visited Fort Rock State Park. We had seen the iconic monument from Hager Mountain, Fort Rock was notable even from that distance. The fort is a volcanic crater that eroded over time, attaining it's current U-shaped form.  

Inside the crater

We did the short 1.5 mile hike in the crater's interior. John's hike might have been a little bit longer as he (illegally) angled to the cliff's base where ravens screeched and dive-bombed him. They get touchy when people get near their cliffy nests. We enjoyed close-up views of the crater rim with expansive views of the small town of Fort Rock and surrounding valley with Hager Mountain looming high in the distance.

Hallelujah!

Our last stop was in the small town of Fort Rock where we visited the Fort Rock Homestead Museum. Back in the late 1800's (and no, kids, I was not alive back then), homesteads were awarded to those who dreamed of owning their own land. Part of the requirements for keeping the homestead was that the homesteaders needed to farm the land and make it self-sufficient. Alas, the dry desert terrain was not conducive to good farming and most homesteaders rapidly went broke, losing everything they ever owned. Not a happy story in most cases. At any rate, some of the the old buildings from that era have been relocated to the museum grounds making the homesteader's financial ruin our happy gain.

Bye, vacation

Well, our vacation to the Oregon outback was over and we headed back to Roseburg for a joyous reunion with a shower nozzle.  Some of us had to to first reunite with a garden hose before being allowed inside the house. For more pictures of this travel day, please visit the following albums:

Crack-in-the-Ground

Fort Rock

Fort Rock Homestead Museum

Hager Mountain

So, after our Winter Ridge hike, we spent the afternoon huddled around a campfire while snow swirled around. The good news was that by the time evening rolled in, the snow-dropping clouds had broken up and we had no more issues with rain and/or snow. However, the cold stuck around and it was cold, cold, cold. I hadn't been checking the thermometer in the car but each morning we had ice encrusted on our tents; on this morning it was considerably colder and I decided to stay huddled at the bottom of my sleeping bag like a lump of coal in the toe of a Christmas stocking, and believe me, I would know about that.

Hager Mountain false summit

Fortunately, the weather gods showed us some mercy and the sun quickly warmed things up as we drove over to the Hager Mountain Trailhead. The trail headed up a gentle slope of pine trees with sunflower-like balsamroot blooming away in the shade. At the first switchback, we said goodbye to the gentle slope as the trail headed steeply up the slopes of Hager Mountain.

Up, up, up...

"Up" was the operative word as the vegetation transitioned from the relatively green balsamroot and grasses to the more familiar blue-gray of sagebrush. The flowers were putting on a show alongside the trail with the usual suspects: scarlet Indian Paintbrush, yellow balsamroot, blue flax, just to namedrop a few.

Mount Shasta, beyond Thompson Reservoir

The trees transitioned from tall pines to mountain mahogany, all stunted and misshapen like a novice hiker after a Richard Hike. As the trail inscribed long switchbacks to and fro, the views opened up.  Mount Shasta's snow cone rose up on the southwestern horizon above the blue and islanded waters of Thompson Reservoir. To the north, were the handful of buildings that is the small town of Silver Lake. A small horseshoe shaped rock formation beyond the town was famed Fort Rock. We could also see Crater Lake, Mount Thielsen, Tipsoo Peak, Diamond Peak, and the Three Sisters, all cherished and familiar hiking haunts for us. The entire geology was laid at our feet and one could see the path of the massive lava flows that eventually formed the Oregon we know and love today.

The Three Sisters

The views only improved the higher we climbed, and eventually the trail spit us out to a picnic table situated just underneath the lookout affixed on the summit. We paid a social visit to the resident lookout, a delightful woman by the name of Kathi, she'd been a lookout for several decades and she regaled us with tales of lightning strikes and bitter cold nights. In particular, while we were sitting around the campfire the night before, the same storm left about 6 inches of snow on the lookout while she actually slept in all her clothes, blankets, and even dish towels in a vain attempt to stay warm.

View on the way down

Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to our new-found friend and head back down the trail. On the way down, we got to enjoy the flowers and views all over again; perhaps even more so as we didn't have to labor up the mountain. And the good news was that it was warm that night, it was a confirmed and balmy 27 degrees the following morning.

Hager Mountain panorama

For more pictures of this hike, please visit the Flickr album.