WE DIDN'T EXPECT THIS - Storms and Snow: Boondocking Mount Shasta to Lassen Volcanic National Park

In just three days, we went from peaceful sunsets on a quiet lake—listening to birds and watching coots dance on the water—to boondocking high on Mount Shasta, surrounded by clouds and waiting for a storm that could trap us in the snow. Then, Lassen Volcanic surprised us with a fresh winter wonderland… before ending with one epic dispersed camping fail.

🌋 Mount Shasta Overview

Location: Northern California, in the southern Cascade Range.
Height: 14,179 feet (4,322 meters), making it the second highest peak in the Cascades after Mount Rainier. It’s a stratovolcano — a massive, steep-sided volcano made from layers of lava, ash, and rock. Last Eruption: Scientists estimate its most recent eruption was around 1786, though it’s still considered potentially active.
Mount Shasta isn’t just one volcano — it’s actually made up of four overlapping volcanic cones.
You can see dramatic lava domes, glaciers, and alpine meadows, making it one of the most photogenic volcanoes in the U.S. There are seven named glaciers, including the Whitney Glacier — the largest in California.The area around Mount Shasta offers tons of boondocking and dispersed camping opportunities, especially in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
Roads like Everitt Memorial Highway take you up to about 7,800 feet (Panther Meadows area) — but in colder months, snow can make it inaccessible.

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🌄 Lassen Peak

Height: 10,457 feet (3,187 meters). It’s the southernmost active volcano in the Cascade Range. The last major eruption happened between 1914 and 1921, when Lassen Peak exploded violently — sending ash as far as 200 miles away. That eruption helped lead to the creation of Lassen Volcanic National Park in 1916, making it one of the earliest U.S. national parks.

🔥 Geothermal Wonders

The park is still very geothermally active! Bumpass Hell: The largest hydrothermal area — with boiling mud pots, steaming fumaroles, and roaring sulfur vents. Sulphur Works and Devil’s Kitchen are other accessible geothermal spots.



❄️ Snow & Seasons

Lassen is one of the snowiest places in California, often getting 30 to 40 feet of snow each winter!