Time to check in

Pictures taken July 17, 2008. Hopefully the smoke will clear up by tomorrow.
Mineral Lodge, Mineral, California
Located 9 miles from Lassen Volcanic National Park!


The motel room were clean, peaceful and the staff very helpful and friendly.
No T.V.'s or phones in the rooms, which was perfectly okay with us. =)


John is happily entertained.


Sarah waiting for her dinner & bottle. Time to walk over to Mineral lodge Restaurant.


John guarding Sarah's bottle, while he sips his Root beer.


Hey, pass me my bottle please...

(Sarah teething on her thumb).


It's time to go to bed. Going to be a busy day tomorrow. =)

Good night all!

Uncle Runts Place

Picture taken July 17, 2008 - Closed.

We just stopped here long enough to snap this picture.

Lassen National Forest, CA - Subway Cave

Pictures taken July 17, 2008.
Season Of Use - Cave is open late May through October. Closed during the winter months.


John standing at the entrance to Subway Cave.
(Devil's Doorway).


Devil's Doorway (Click on image to enlarge it).

Although the outer surface of the lava flow cooled and hardened rapidly, the inner lava was insulated from the cold air like coffee in a thermos bottle, and it remained fluid and continued to flow.

This inner molten material kept moving and soon drained out of its shell. As it continued to flow it left behind a dark hidden tunnel.

Only when the roof collapsed did the lava tube open. The jumble of rocks below was once the ceiling of the Subway Cave.

Continued down the stairway to the guided stops in the interior of the cave. Follow the map and read the descriptions.


John waiting for his flash to be handed to him.

Visibility is zero. Take a dependable flash light with you.


Wind tunnel.
Height varies from 6 to 17 feet.


The Sanctum
Length - 1,300 feet of winding lava tube. The total trail length is 1/3 mile.


Roof thickness varies from 8 to 24 feet.


Rattlesnake collapse
So close to the Subway Cave exit.


Lava bubble inside the cave.





Please treat all caves with respect as these fragile formations are easily damage.

"Cave softly and leave no trace of your visit"
Quote by - The Virtual Cave


Exit this way...
John loved climbing up and down these stairs.


A view from above the Exit Stairs Subway Cave.


Time to Hike back to our car.

We still have to check luggages into our hotel.

More of Natural Bridge.

Pictures taken July 16, 2008.
After visiting Crater Lake, we decide continuing our daily adventure at Rogue River Gorge .


We will certainly return here, when our children much older.


Natural Bridge is absolutely gorgeous!

Former Mt. Mazama - Crater Lake, the Pinnacles

The history of the "pinnacles" below began about 7,700 years ago when the eruptions of Mt. Mazama were reaching their climax. Torrents of red-hot, gas-charged pumice poured down Mazama's slopes at speeds of up to 100 mph (160kph). On top of this came a flow of heavier rocks called scoria. These glowing avalanches flooded downslope for many miles, leaving deep deposits in their wake.

Temperatures in the deposits may have exceeded 750 F (400 C). Plumes of vapors appeared, as gasses escaped from the settling rocks through vents called fumaroles. Minerals in the gasses, combined with extreme heat, welded the sides of the fumaroles in the shape of slender cones. Since then, streams have eroded a canyon through the deposits, exposing the cones. Many of these fossil fumaroles are hollow.


The glowing avalanche deposits took years to cool. Hot gasses escaped through fumaroles whose shapes are preserved in the pinnacles.


Glowing avalnches from Mt. Mazama filled surrounding valleys with deposits of pumice and scoria. Today, streams are cutting new valleys.

Pinnacles Overlook
Located at the end of a 7 mile (11-km) spur road, the Pinnacles are well worth the detour from the Rim Drive. A colorful collection of 100 foot (30 Meter) spires are being eroded from the canyon wall. The spires are "fossil furmaroles", each marking a spot where volcanic gas rose up through hot ash deposits, cementing the ash into solid rock.


The Pinnacles Overlook is not visible from Rim Drive and the Pinnacles Overlook is easy to miss.


Another view of the Pinnacles at Crater Lake National Park.


Closer view of some of the Pinnacles.


The distinct layers of in the ash at the Pinnacles.








Just a small gust of wind and this happens.


We definitely would come back here , when John & Sarah are a bit older.

Here we go again

Picture taken July 16, 2008.
Woohoo! Today it's less smoky at Crater Lake.


Prefect spot for some refreshment & snacks.
Steve with our precious little angels.
Kiddies waiting for refreshments.


yumm, milk is on it's way.




John a.ka. Jack getting photography lessons from Daddy/Steve.


Captain Jack with Monkey Mojo


Phantom Ship, Oregon USA


A view from the top of the crater looking down.


Back again one more time going to see the Pinnacles


Wizard Island

Note: I will be posting pictures from our hike at the Pinnacles some time this week.

Why not

Pictures taken July 15, 2008.
One more family adventure before dinner.


Photo courtesy of loving husband.
It's lovely here.


Pearsoney waterfall (a short hike from the Prospect Hotel)
Sure wish the lighting was a better...

Sarah 7 months, 29 days old.

We are safe and sound back at the Prospect Hotel.

Dinner... The restaurant at the Prospect Hotel is excellent!