Northeast-facing slope
of Lassen Peak with a few snowfields and fluctuating
patches of sunlight on
a cloudy day (September 1, 2013)
Lassen Peak is a
plug dome volcano
with an elevation of 10,457 ft (3187 m) in
Lassen Volcanic National Park, California.
This volcano has an interesting history of recent
rumblings and
eruptions, mostly occurring between
1914 and 1917 (see
USGS).
We are coming across a weird part in Lassen Peak's history, when we
consider the fake, pyrotechnically
animated eruptions and nighttime
fireworks, which
were staged on its top in July 1931 to draw more attention
to Lassen Volcanic—causing disbelief and criticism
from conservation groups and local residents
[Tim I. Purdy: Lassen Volcanic, Lahontan Images,
Susanville, CA, 2009].
The native Maidu people called Lassen Peak
Kohm Yah-mah-nee,
meaning “snow mountain”
(see
Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center).
Lassen is said to have some of the highest
snowfall accumulations
in California. The picture above illustrates that patches of snow
can persist throughout the summer. During any season, clouds that look
like they bring fresh snow may shroud the volcano.
