Lassen Peak is the southernmost volcano in the Cascade Range, located in northern California halfway between Lake Tahoe and the Oregon border. Prior to Mount Saint Helens in 1980, Lassen was the last volcano in the continental U.S. to erupt, with a major series of eruptions starting in 1914 and continuing sporadically until 1921. Lassen is one of the largest plug domes in the world, a massive block of dacite lava extruded up from the shattered remains of the collapsed Mount Tehama stratovolcano. Although it receives heavy snowfall during the winter, Lassen's southern latitude and modest elevation prevent the formation of glaciers, with only a few small permanent snowfields lasting through the hot summers. The route up the Northeast Face goes through the Devastated Area (the path of a major pyroclastic flow during 1915, now recovering its tree cover) and follows steep snowfields in a direct line to the summit. The much gentler route on the south side is also skiable when the summer hiking trail is snow-covered.

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Trip Summary: Friday, June 18, 1999

This was a private trip, with a party of two (myself and Alex Cronin).
I skied on randonnee (alpine touring) gear, Alex skied on heavy-duty telemark gear.