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Geothermal Areas In Lassen Volcanic National Park




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SULPHUR WORKS AND LITTLE HOT SPRINGS VALLEY

As in many hydrothermally active areas, the rocks at Sulphur Works and '''Little Hot Springs Valley''' in Lassen Volcanic National Park have been chemically altered into bright-colored Clay s. Sulfurous Acid and Sulfuric Acid have broken down hard, gray-green Andesite lavas into red, yellow and buff clays and Iron Oxide s.


BUMPASS HELL

Near Little Hot Springs Valley is Bumpass Hell, which is a hydrothermally altered Geothermal area that spans 16 acres (65,000 m²) and has Hot Spring s, Fumarole s, and Mud Pot s. Never part of Mount Tehema 's main vent, Bumpass Hell is the result of fissures that tap the volcanic heat (which is thought to be a cooling mass of Andesite , perhaps three miles (5 km) below the surface).

It is named after Kendall Vanbook Bumpass , a Cowboy who worked in the Lassen area in the 1860s . One day Bumpass stumbled upon the area and his leg was badly scalded when it broke though a thin crust above a mud pot. He told his friends and townspeople about it, describing it as "hell." A newspaper editor was interested in the story and convinced Bumpass to take him to this place. Unfortunately, Bumpass' leg broke through the crust again - this time it had to be Amputated .


DEVILS KITCHEN

About seven miles (11 km) southeast of Lassen Peak is Devils Kitchen. In this geothermal area the hot springs are so Acid ic that they have eaten pits and holes in the Bedrock .


TERMINAL GEYSER

Located in the southeast corner of the park, Terminal Geyser is not actually a Geyser , but rather a cold stream flowing over a steam vent. This is about 100 feet (30 m) from the site of a geothermal Drilling operation that took place in 1962 and 1978 . The 4008-foot (1222 m) well is now plugged and abandoned.


BOILING SPRINGS LAKE

Just northwest of Terminal Geyser, large, warm-water Boiling Springs Lake has many hot springs, mudpots, and fumaroles along its west shore. Unlike the more heavily visited areas of the park, this area is not developed with Boardwalk s or interpretive signs and offers a chance to view thermal features in a more natural setting.



MAPS



Sulphur works


  • Little Hot Springs Valley


  • Bumpass Hell


  • Devils Kitchen




SEE ALSO



EXTERNAL LINKS



REFERENCE

  • ''Geology of National Parks: Fifth Edition'', Ann G. Harris, Esther Tuttle, Sherwood D., Tuttle (Iowa, Kendall/Hunt Publishing; 1997) ISBN 0-7872-5353-7