Lassen Peak Summit

The summit of Lassen Peak is unquestionably the most beautiful and interesting place in the park. It is well worth the 2000 foot climb up the Summit Trail. At the summit, three distinct craters can be observed, relating to eruptions in 1914, 1915, and 1917. There was once a lookout tower which was built and destroyed only a year later in the 1914 eruption (documented pictorially in Loomis's book).

The view from the summit is spectacular in every direction, providing a view of much of northern California. To the north, 75 miles away on the horizon, the massive figure of Mt. Shasta, a composite volcano like fellow Cascade peaks Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier, can be seen. It is visible below in the center of the picture.

In the late summer or fall the summit is comfortable, although ultraviolet radiation is strong. The air is thin, about 1/2 less dense than at sea level. The temperature in the winter at this altitude, though, can be extreme. In the winter of 1932-33 the temperature at the summit sunk to -56 degrees.

It is possible that the mountain's namesake, Peter Lassen, was the first white man to reach the summit, but this is not known for sure. The first recorded ascent of the mountain was successfully accomplished by Grover K. Godfrey in 1851.

The view from the summit provides a different perspective of topographical features of the park. Above, Manzanita Lake is visible in the center of the photograph. Below, Lake Helen can be seen at the foot of the mountain.

The photograph below, taken in October at the very end of the season, shows that some snow may remain throughout the year.

There is very little vegetation at the summit of Lassen and other mountains in the park. This is due to a variety of factors. The soil near the summits is gravelly and thin, and very little water is available. Solar radiation at high altitude is intense. The winds can be very strong and their drying effects are intense. The temperature is usually cool, and the growing season after the snow melts is quite short.