Remembering Lassen

I have been watching the National Parks series on television and really enjoying it. I also realized how lucky I was to spend a summer at Lassen Volcanic National Park in California so many years ago. My friends, Jytte and Jim Bowers would pack up their family every summer and head off to a national park to work - one summer in the late 70s they took me along too. We lived at Crags Campground in a trailer and had some great times. I signed up to be a volunteer and was assigned to paint a map that warned visitors about the dangers of the Chaos Crags Avalanche Area. Everyday I would hike 4 miles down the Nobles Emigrant Trail to the Manzanita Lake station and work on the sign. Then at the end of the day, 4 miles back up the mountain. When I finished the sign I got a job helping track fire weather and a few other odd things. It was just a great experience. I really enjoyed some of the long hikes and the camaraderie with the rangers, workers and other volunteers who spent that summer at Lassen. Some of those young rangers I met eventually became superintendants of parks like Yellowstone and Isle Royale. I am hoping to see at least one of them talk on the series. Nevada Barr, a favorite author of mysteries set in the parks was on for a bit. Anyway, it is a lovely series and am so glad Ken Burns produced it. Wonderful!