Photograph as originally submitted to this page in the Historical Marker Database www.HMdb.org. Click on photo to resize in browser. Scroll down to see metadata.

Photographer: Barry Swackhamer
Taken: July 12, 2012
Caption: Devastated Area Trail Interpretive Sign
Additional Description: Devastated Area Trail This ½-mile loop trail circles through a small portion of the Devastated Area, showcasing aftermath evidence of Lassen Peak’s May 1915 catastrophic eruptions.
To ground yourself in the overall Lassen Peak eruption story, visit the two exhibits at the edge of the parking lot before walking the trail.
Lassen Volcanic National Park

[Photograph captions; bottom left, bottom right]
On May 22, 1915, seven men, including photographer B.F. Loomis passed near here while inspecting the damage that followed Lassen Peak’s May 19 eruption. The were astounded by what they saw, but could not suspect the horrific scene would be repeated just hours later. Had they dallied they might not have survived, for Lassen Peak blew again at 4:45 p.m. that afternoon.

Mudflows that were triggered on May 19 and 22 swept through Lost Creek. Notice the man standing in the creek bed in the photo (far left). The freshly cut banks are five times as high as the man is tall.

A few cabin-size lava rocks (near left), blasted from Lassen crater and carried more than four miles by the May 19th avalanche, rest as monuments throughout the Devastated Area.
[Click on the image to enlarge.]
Submitted: August 6, 2012, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
Database Locator Identification Number: p214257
File Size: 2.528 Megabytes

To see the metadata that may be embedded in this photo, sign in and then return to this page.