LASSEN (Day 5 - part 4)

A curious ground squirrel

We continued heading south.

(left) Emerald Lake

Our next stop was Sulphur Works. Like all the other features of the park, this too was linked to the volcanic underground "hot water" system... the same heat that once fed the mighty Brokeoff Volcano (Mt Tehama).

Sulphur vs. sulfur

Essentially it's merely the difference between British English and American English. Sulfur became standard use in the US sometime in the mid-1900s (clearly after Sulphur Works was established). It's basically the same thing as grey/gray, center/centre, favourite/favorite, colour/color, etc.

Click for a larger view

Click for a larger view

Prior to its purchase by the park in 1952, this area was owned and operated by the Supan family. They even had an inn which included a bathhouse built directly over some steam vents. In 1865, Mathias Supan began mining sulfur that he used in various medicinal products that he sold in the local drugstore.

A fumerole (steam vent)

A large mudpot

We returned north.

Today we may tend to take the park road for granted, but back when the park was established in 1916, the only way to reach the features was by horse or on foot. Construction of the road began in 1925, just as automobile touring was becoming popular. Park visitation by car jumped from 142 in 1924 to 2,200 in 1925.

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