Go Climb a Volcano!

Those are some gorgeous pictures Sandi!  And good for all of you on climbing to the top!

Thanks for stopping, Mary  :)  I'll tell you what, it was the most difficult hike I've ever been on.  It's a small miracle that my daughter and I even made it--  we had to stop every 10 steps!  Well worth it, however, if you're ever in the area-  the park is phenomenally gorgeous.

Now that looks like a fun outing.... Around here the elevation change is nowhere near what you have out west.  I don't even think I've ever been at 8500 feet.... maybe some day!

It does make for a great day trip from Chico.  Hiking at 8500 feet made me feel at least 50 years older-  we literally stopped every 30 seconds!

Sandi,

What a gorgeous view, now thats a workout!!!!

Sandi-That is such a beautiful place. What a wonderful reward to see at the top of a long hike. Thanks for sharing.

How beautiful! You take wonderful photos, I enjoyed seeing the 'smaller sights' like the chipmunk and gnarled evergreen trees in addition to the grander panoramic views. I just returned from Zion and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and can attest to the difficulty of hiking at 8000 feet-plus altitudes-talk about BREATH taking (and I live at about 4000 ft). What's the altitude at Chico?

As it happens I was chatting with one of the staff at the N Rim and she recommended Lassen Volcanic National Park as being one of the more worthwhile and off-the-beaten track of the National Parks. You're making me long to visit Northern California again, and have definitely earned this park a spot on my 'Must Visit' list! 

Suzanne-  That is a workout that you will feel for a good week!  I was so sore I could barely move  :)

Julie-  Thanks for stopping by!  Sometimes it's good to enjoy the time away from work...

Beth- Thank you!  I was actually thinking the colors in most of the photos looked a little dull--  not sure what was going on that day.  I would LOVE to go to the Grand Canyon!  Hiking at that elevation is definitely easier said than done.  I'm glad you asked about the altitude of Chico- I had NOT a clue.  According to Wikipedia, it's only 245 feet!?  Make sure you look me up when you come to visit-- and don't plan your trip without a day at Lake Almanor!  The park and Lake Almanor are both 'Must Visits'!

Hi Sandi,

Thanks for the info, I've not heard of Lake Almanor CA, will have to look it up. I love that I learn about more than  real estate here.

Since Chico CA is at 245 feet from sea level, I can only imagine what a challenge your hike up the volcano must have been. I was visiting my grandfather here in Sedona years ago. At the time I lived in DC - pretty much at sea level. We went to Flagstaff for the day (over 7,000 ft) and I could not keep up with him...and he was in his 80's at the time.

If you ever plan to hike the Grand Canyon, try to spend a few days doing short, level hikes at the top before you plan anything strenuous, especially down into the Canyon. It gives your body a little time to acclimate and you will feel it less.

Last summer we went to Maui and DROVE to the top of Haleakala.  We did cheat a bit - there was a hike to the 'top' that went up about 50 feet or so.  We were there with my 70 year-old dad...

Beth,   I actually grew up across the street from Lake Almanor, on the Peninsula.  Chester is the nearest community with a school, and it is the nearest major establishment to Mount Lassen.  I say major...  last I checked, they had one stoplight!  Almanor is beautiful, and one of my favorite places in the whole wide world.  Summer is ideal, but for the snow skiing enthusiasts, Lassen is great in the winter as well.

Thanks for making me feel better about our hike... I just felt that I was REALLY out of shape! 

Go Grandpa!  It's true that people adjust to the altitude  :)

Debi,  You could always use dad as an excuse... it would be MUCH too hard on him to walk!  At least you were still able to enjoy the scenery  :)

That is really cool Sandi, WOW!

Beautiful -- it looks like the entire family had fun.  I am not too keen on heights, however, I think I would walk the trail if I had the opportunity. 

Aziz-  for the most part, I don't think even a person with an issue with heights would have too many problems.  The trails wasn't horrendously narrow, and even at the top it's a ginormous flat area.

Did anybody notice the "eye" in the picture?  There's a name for it... it's just slipped my mind!

I really miss Chico. After 4 years at Chico State is was sad to head back to the Bay Area and work for a living. Aside from Lassen not far away, Chico itself should be considered the best place to live in the Central Valley. It has some awesome swimming holes in Bidwell Park, great mountain biking, golf, hunting, and don't forget tubing down the Sacramento River! In the good 'ol days we had the beer barge in tow...sigh...

Ted,  there seem to be a LOT of folks out there just like you, because I have a very high percentage of my buyers coming from the Bay Area!  They spent time here going to school, and decide to come back here to invest in real estate!  Some of them actually move back here with their families, others just buy investment property- oftentimes properties that will be used as rentals for college students.  I've asked the last couple if my face was on a bill board somewhere down in San Jose, because that area seems to be the one I'm hearing from the most!  Chico is the best place to live!!

Definitely keep me in mind--  I will take good care of your friends.

Chico summers ARE pretty toasty!  I still remember the first week I moved here... I had just gotten off work at 10 pm at night, and the outside thermometer was showing 108 degrees!  I could NOT believe it. 

What wonderful memories!  Annie's playground is beautiful... what a sentimental place to take her to propose-- and on graduation day!  I bet that earned you some serious points  :)

(I would leave the Bay Area for Chico in a minute!) 

Yeah, that was one of my better moves!

It always seems to be blazing hot when we got back to school in late August. One Labor Day it was 121 and it wasn't a dry heat...ugh. I remember crossing Nord Ave to Burger Hut and we were drenched in sweat. It snowed once and even had a tornado north of town one March that lifted a cow which ended up in a barn. Poor guy never had a chance :(

The wifey and I stayed in Chico on our way up to Oregon not too long ago and reminisced over a feast at Italian Cottage. Bummer they stopped giving that scoop of ice cream for free after dinnner. Topped it off with a couple cheap Long Island Ice Teas at Joe's.

How is the economy in Butte County lately? I recall it being mostly retail but I would assume over the past 15 years there has been a ton of new construction. 

Ted,  I love that you remember so much!  Especially street names.  I don't think I've ever seen 121 degrees... that would be brutal.  I've never heard the story about the cow- it must have been before my time, I've only been here since 2003.  I've never even been to Italian Cottage, although I drive by it twice a day to get kids to school

Chico has seen a lot of growth in the past few years, both retail and residential.  Just in the time that I've been here, the housing has expanded considerably.  We've got a few high density housing tracts that have been met with very opposing opinions.

It appears to me that the economy still pivots around the college (Butte Community has now erected a sizeable satellite unit on Forest Avenue, which is nice for eliminating the drive out to Butte Valley), the hospital, retail, and farming.  Enloe Hospital is one of the best trauma centers in the entire North State, and has undergone some upheavals.  There are plans for a major expansion.  As always, there is considerable rice farming, walnuts, prunes, and almonds for which Chico is famous.