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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels August 26, 2004 Scenic byway highlights volcanoes By Scott Staats Tidings Correspondent For those who believe the journey is just as important as the destination, the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway is one journey that should not be missed. Connecting Crater Lake and Mount Lassen, this 500-mile long All-American Road will give visitors a glance into the southern Cascades' volcanic past. The deep blue water of Crater Lake and its lone gap, Wizard Island, are features at the northern end of the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway. Scott Staats | For the Tidings Standing on the summit of Mount Scott, the highest point in Crater Lake National Park, at 8,929 feet, I look down on the lake and only one word comes to mind - blue. Never before have I experienced a deeper blue color in nature. Scientists explain this phenomenon in terms of long and short wavelengths of light but suffice it to say that blue wavelengths reach deeper and are scattered more to produce what can only be called "Crater Lake blue." Those who can make the 5-mile roundtrip hike to Mount Scott will be rewarded with spectacular views of the entire park, as well as Mount Shasta, the next large volcano along this All-American Road. Those not up to a hike can still have a Crater Lake experience by taking the Rim Drive, a 33-mile road that circles the lake. Along the way visitors will learn how the ancient Mount Mazama, thought to be over 12,000 feet, erupted 7,700 years ago with 42 times the power of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. The eruption covered 5,000 square miles with ash up to six inches deep. Today, there is evidence of Mazama ash in eight states and three Canadian provinces. When the magma chamber emptied and the volcano collapsed, it left a huge bowl-shaped caldera, which eventually filled with water, creating Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the country and the seventh deepest lake in the world, at 1,932 feet. A boat ride around the lake will give a better perspective of the lake's size (more than five miles across). On one of our last visits, my wife and I took the boat out to Wizard Island and hiked the one-mile trail to its summit. We spent most of the day on the island enjoying the volcano from the inside out then caught the last boat back to shore. To travel the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway is like leapfrogging the southern Cascade volcanoes. As the byway enters northern California, a short side trip to Lava Beds National Monument is well worth the time. Created by volcanic eruptions from a nearby shield volcano, this rugged landscape of lava tubes, cinder cones, lava flows, spatter cones and pit craters make for a perfect game of hide and seek. This is exactly what happened during the Modoc War of 1872-1873 when the Modoc Indians used this area to their advantage to hold off the US Army. Only 53 fighting men and their families held off troops numbering up to 10 times their strength for five months. Visiting this volcanic labyrinth, it's easy to picture the scene. Mount Shasta dominates the skyline as you drive south on the byway. Rising from the surrounding green forests, this 14,162-foot volcano stands like a sentinel. For those who want to experience the mountain from a little higher up, there are 17 climbing routes that lead to the summit. About 15,000 people attempt the summit each year, both beginners and experienced mountaineers, taking one to two days to climb it. Another highlight of this All-American Road is Lassen Volcanic National Park. Similar to Yellowstone, this park has steam vents, mudpots and boiling pools as well as several volcanic peaks and some painted dunes. If hiking is your thing, the park has over 150 miles of trails leading to most of the volcanic features. Mount Lassen rises over 10,000 feet and its most recent eruptions occurred from 1914 to 1921. The mountain is considered one of the largest plug dome volcanoes in the world. The southern end of the byway ends at Lake Almanor, just south of the active geothermal features of Lassen Volcanic National Park. After traveling this route, the entire family will be just a step away from becoming volcanologists. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams