After a quick stop at the visitor center, we secured a camping spot, and headed up to Chaos Crags Lake. It was a beautiful hike! The spot was completely secluded, so we took ice-cold baths in the lake, then sat around in the sun to warm up. While we were sitting there, we saw White-headed Woodpeckers! I was so excited, another new bird! We stayed for quite a while trying to get a photo, we even sat near their nest tree (where we could hear a baby bird calling), but the adults wouldn't come over. We didn't want to keep them from the baby, so we headed out. Once we got back to camp, we noticed White-headed Woodpeckers all over the place! No picture (too far up in the tall trees), but we enjoyed a campfire listening to their calls.
Jay overlooks Chaos Crags Lake
White-headed Woodpecker nest cavity
July 11, 2006 (4.5 miles)
Since many of the trails were closed due to snow (without snowshoes of course), we goofed around a bit with our ice axes on the side of the road, stopped at all the overlooks, then headed around to the back side of the park and hiked out to Devil's Kitchen. It was a really pretty (and easy) walk out to the geothermal site. We saw mud pots, fumaroles, and boiling springs. It smelled SO bad, but it was cool. On the way out, we nearly bumped into a black bear! There was a couple just ahead of us on the trail and I was watching them as we closed the distance when all of a sudden a "blonde" black bear darted across the trail in front of them! They turned around, completely shocked, and watched the bear with us as it ran off through the woods. It wasn't a huge bear, but it wasn't little either...
Mt. Lassen
Another view of Mt. Lassen
Stinky fumaroles!
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