I’d been looking forward to photographing the Painted Dunes at Lassen Volcanic Park for years. What I was really curious about, because I didn’t really understand what I was getting into, was climbing Cinder Cone. Reviews all said it was difficult, but I couldn’t understand why. The minor elevation gain and short distance seemed very small in comparison to some of the other hikes I’ve accomplished.
We arrived at Lassen Volcanic National Park late in the evening. I wanted to photograph the dunes in the evening light, so after making supper for the family, I set off on my own for the 6 km hike to the summit.
The first part of the trail wasn’t particularly memorable. It was the final climb that changed things.
Cinder Cone rises about 300 metres, but the elevation gain doesn’t really explain what makes it so difficult. The final ascent is loose volcanic cinder, and it’s almost like trying to climb a 300-metre sand dune. There is very little firm footing, so every step forward seems to give way beneath you.
I’ve hiked up mountains and completed multi-day backcountry treks, but few climbs compare to the raw difficulty of Cinder Cone.
I was also watching the clock. I wanted to get to the top before sunset and we had gotten there late after a long 10-11 hours in the vehicle, so I pushed myself harder than I probably should have. By the time I reached the summit rim, my legs were shaking, and my stomach was turning. I was breathing harder than I ever had on a climb.
And then I walked around the rim. The Painted Dunes were below me. That pretty much erased how miserable I had felt a few minutes earlier.
I spent the evening walking around the perimeter of the ancient volcano, watching the light move across the dunes and trying to figure out how I wanted to photograph them. It wasn’t long before the light went low enough to leave the dunes in shadow, but it skimmed the top of the trees, giving this beautiful contrast in colour.
There’s a good lesson in this for photography trips: sometimes the photograph you’re after is going to require considerably more effort than you expect. In this case, I certainly wasn’t complaining once I finally got there.
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