Lazarow World-Hike-About

A selection of 'second stringers' from hike-about "5" and "6" (Click on pics to get full size) Angel's Landing, Zion, Utah Lake Helen, on Mt. Shasta, CA The Narrows, Zion, Utah Cathedral Rock, Sedona, AZ Cinder Cone Trail, Lassen, CA Observation Point Trail, Zion, Utah Horseshoe Bend, Page, Arizona Fairyland Loop, Bryce, Utah Bear Mountain Trail, Sedona, AZ Garrapata, Monterrey, CA Peek-a-Boo Trail, Bryce, Utah Jordan Trail, Sedona, AZ East Peak, Mt. Tamalpais, CA Calf Falls, Escalante, Utah Bishop Peak, SLO, CA Castle Crags, Dunsmuir, CA Black Butte, Shasta, CA Bell Rock, Sedona, AZ Cinder Cone and Lassen, CA Feather Falls, Oroville, CA Valencia and Oats Peaks, Morro Bay, CA Castle & Heart Lakes, Shasta, CA Clear Creek Trail, Shasta, CA Mt. Eddy Peak, Weed, CA Brokeoff Peak, Lassen, CA

'Lite' action at Feather Falls The Feather River powering through the Canyon We continue sitting and thinking . Every now and again, we change our position and we sit and ponder. We only change our position figuratively speaking—we are much too tired to move around after walking the length and breadth of Northern California. Our editor surely has a cruel streak as she finds the highest mountain trails and the longest daily hikes. Maybe that’s why we love her so much. Excuse us. We interrupt our thought pattern. In our ‘usual humble manner’, we use our ‘intellect’ to wonder about a phenomenon we have noticed on this leg of hike-about. We understand that the width of the United States is a little under 3,000 miles while the length is, say 1200 or so miles. We also estimate that the gauge of a railroad track at about 4 feet, give or take a few inches. Here is our question. If the country is so vast and railroad tracks are miniscule in comparison, why are many motels position...

Mt. Lassen closed for repairs--view from meadows (explanation in narrative) A taste of paradise at the summit The day commenced with some disappointment. The financial markets—sure. However, we are referring to the news that Mt Lassen is closed for repairs, a puzzling development. Why do you close off a volcanic mountain? This got us thinking and pondering again. There are, as in all things, two answers. The obvious one, which we are unable to accept, is that the trail is under repair. On the surface, that sounds feasible especially as the surface was rough. We remember some three years ago when we hiked to the peak. However, this is a five-year project. What are they doing? Our theory goes something like this. The economy is fizzling and needs a big ‘boom’ to get it going again. In its great wisdom, we think the government is setting up for a spectacular explosion at Lassen on a 4th of July. Think about it. Imagine predicting a volcano eruption and then selling seats and televis...

Mt. Lassen and painted dunes from Brokeoff Peak--fascinated by this scene Where'd you leave your horse, Pardner? Brokeoff Peak. Feeling lucky to be here, fortunate to enjoy all of it. Just when we thought Lassen couldn’t get any better, it did. The thought of a drive across the entire park to reach the trailhead did not get us excited. However, after completing the journey, we were embarrassed that we had felt that way. Perhaps we were still smarting from the closure of the Lassen Peak Trail. The park has a serenity and beauty that is indescribable—it is a place of magnificent contrasts, too. In parts, one feels one is visiting paradise as a certain mystique presents itself. Looking down into the valley, from the peak, at those painted dunes Brokeoff Trail is some seven miles long with an elevation gain of 2600 feet, in half that distance. The climb is in fact 600 feet greater than Lassen Peak rising into the 9,000’s. The trail begins in the forest, winds around and heads...