Trip 9 - California Dreamin'

On this trip we set out to immerse ourselves in the culture and the nature of California. To discover its textures and see some of its natural wonders. We discover that California is very big. It is not a state that you can just pass through, it is, more than any other place we have visited, more like another country. It is a land dominated by mountains, the spaces between and like nowhere else, water.
Our start in the heavily populated area to the East of Los Angeles, known as the Inland Empire, is crowded into the lowlands surrounded by magnificent mountains. The feeling is of a cauldron which is trying to boil over the mountains to the fresh air of the rest of the state.
To the South is a band of Desert, which is the buffer to Mexico, which we did not explore on this trip.
We travelled North through the mountains (everywhere in California you can see mountains) to the desert, and on again to the huge Central Valley, mile after mile of intensive agriculture. Culture here is dominated by food, flatness, low income and trying to impact on the 'sameness' of the flat lands through music and festival. It is the communication and administrative corridor that links all other areas of California.
To the East is the huge mountain chain of the Sierra Nevada which clearly demonstrates the magnificence of the natural world, both in its geology and nature, reflected in the pysche and pride of most Californians. It is Eldorado, dominated by Gold!
To the West of the Central Valley are the coastal mountains, San Francisco and the magnificent coast. More isolated cultures, from mixed resources, communities seperated by mountains.
To the North of the Central Valley more mountains and a culture which looks more North towards Oregon than South to Sacremento.
This blog details our journey through California, where we pick and choose, or just scratch the surface, of this diverse and beautiful state.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Visiting a volcano


Photo's of day 2 in Lassen Volcanic S.P. Lassen Peak is only 10,400ft high, but dominates the countryside for 50 miles. Its jagged peak is the remains of a volcano, which itself sticks out of the side of a much bigger volcano which blew itself apart many thousands of years ago, leaving a ring of smaller mountains eleven miles wide. Lassen Peak is designated as an active volcano. It last erupted in 1914-15, throwing millions of tons of ash and rock from the North East side up to 30,000ft in the air, removing a significant chunk of the mountain. This series of explosions was caught on film and can be seen at the visitor Center. The volcano is now quiet, although all around it are the signs of continuing activity. We visited the Sulphur Works and were able to see (and smell) fumeroles of steam escaping from the mountain side, many depositing a rime of yellow sulphur and also hot mud holes, where steam boils up through thick mud to escape into the atmosphere. There are also hot lakes, but we were not able to hike to them.
All around us we could see various forms of volcano that have formed over the years. Many cinder cones, identifiable with their sloping sides and little dimples at the summit, even though they may now be covered with trees. Lots of lava fields and lava volcanoes. Many lakes which have been created by the chaotic topography and filled collapsed volcanic craters. It made for a fascinating scenary, unlike anything else we have seen. (even after the lava outpourings we have seen in the Rio Grande Rift Valley of Southern Colorado and New Mexico).
Posted by fastrak at 9:16 AM

2 comments:

  1. AMERICAN ADVENTURESOctober 26, 2011 at 8:38 AM

    Glad you got to Lassen its a great park, we wanted to hike up to the top of Lassen peak but could only go part way as they were repairing the trail, bit a wedding party had permission to go to the top to get married.

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  2. lonetaOctober 28, 2011 at 2:54 PM

    You are brave to be doing the mountains this time of year. It is great to miss the crowds though.

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