HIKING CINDER CONE

Cinder Cone is located at Lassen Volcanic National Park, on the Butte Lake side.

Cinder Cone has to be about the third most difficult hikes we have done in our lives.  The other two were at Zion National Park-one being Angel's Landing.

As Brian keeps putting it: “It felt more like rock climbing than hiking”.  Every step you made-the rocks underneath would move.  One step forward-two steps backwards….

As we started the hike near Butte Lake, we see this huge wall of rocks.  At a glance and without knowing, it would appear to be a man made dam for the lake.  We soon learned differently.

It was actual blocks of Lava that spewed hundreds and hundreds of years ago.

As we start our adventure on this hike, we picked up a Nature Trail brochure that explains things as we go about the first mile or so.

We  learned that the trial that we were on, was also the same trail that Emigrants took and became a small section of the California Trail.

We learned that the last eruption to Cinder Cone was back in 1650 A.D.

As we go along, the trail is made of Lava Rocks that has broken down and almost appears to look like black sand.  It’s kind of difficult, but the first mile is relativity level, with shade trees.  As difficult it is to walk on the Lava rocks, can you imagine what it was like to take loaded wagons across this same section?

Then we finally see the Cinder Cone Volcanic and think: “That can’t be that hard”…..yeah right…..

Here we go, determine to make it to the top….

We made sure we have brought plenty of water, snack and lunch along.  It’s a good thing…for the climb was VERY difficult.  As I stated earlier-one step forward, two step backwards.  We would take about 10 steps, stop, rest, 10 more steps, stop, rest. 10 more steps, empty out shoe-without trying to fall back down the hillside. This continue all the way to the top.

From the bottom of the hill to the top, took 45 minutes.  But once at the top, we were reward with the most spectacular views and a look of what inside a Cinder Cone Volcanic looks like.

I’m just in total awe of the view, So breathtaking!!  Where else do you get a view of lakes, other volcanic mountains and painted dunes?

It’s time to take pictures, rest and eat lunch,  empty out shoes (again). 

As we look down into the Cinder Cone, there is a trail to the floor, where others have adventure down and place a rock on a mound.  It was mutually decided that I would adventure down, place a rock on the mound while Brian snaps pictures of me doing this. 

Not too many others would take the extra steps downwards (knowing they had to climb back out), but at least I can say I did it!  the part that amazes me the most as I place a rock on the mound; is that about 6 miles below me, the volcanic is still very much alive and active. 

Now it’s time to head back down.  I notice a trail on the back side of the Cinder Cone.  I was pretty sure that it meandered downwards and then around the bottom of the Cinder Cone, or we could take the easy route and go straight down the way we came up.  But why make it easy??

Going down the back way wasn’t the easiest route.  The Lava rocks were much bigger and one point I somehow landed on my bottom side.  No worry-no injury…

We get what we thought was down, rested, emptied out our shoes (again) and continued on.  Climbing down more, and gaining yet more rocks in our shoes, we once again have to… yep, you guessed it…empty out our shoes!

As I thought we ended up on the backside of Cinder Cone(of what is called a bypass route, for those that don’t want to climb upwards).  We could have easily been down off the mountain at third of the time-but we didn’t want the easy route!

We can’t even begin to count how many times we stopped to clean out our shoes.  The final was when we got back to the truck and took off both shoes and socks; my feet were about as black as the Lava Rocks themselves!  Thank goodness for baby wipes that we keep in the truck!!

We were completely tuckered out and we know by morning our leg muscles will be sore.  But it was all well worth it to us.  Would we do it again?  Yes-but we would NOT take the back route coming out again…that was too much.