Geo 365: May 1, Day 121: Summit Crater

Standing on the north rim of Lava Butte, looking south to the west flank of Newberry Volcano, and into the summit crater of this cinder cone. The parking area here is on the small side, and since its designation as a National Monument in 1990, the area has become much more crowded. So the crew here has instituted a first-come first-served free pass system, where, at the entrance to Lava Butte, you can get a parking pass. I imagine a lot of the time, it's unnecessary, but when the lot gets gridlocked, it's a nightmare. The pass is good for half an hour, which would be plenty of time for the loop trail around the crater here. However, I was worried about time; like the previous day (See Geo 365, Feb. 18 through March 31), I had planned a lot for this day. The loop trail was something I didn't want to try to cram in. Just as at Hole-in-the-Ground, note that trees have become established on the north-facing south interior of the crater, but have a hard time elsewhere. I think these are lodgepole pines, rather than ponderosas.

Photo unmodified. August 21, 2011. FlashEarth Location.