The Lassen Park Highway remains mostly closed following a difficult Winter. It’s open from the north as far as the Devastated Area and from the south as far as the Sulphur Works. The 30 mile stretch of Highway 89 is a yearly challenge for plow operators, who generally start in March or April on a roadway that reaches an elevation of 8500 feet with snowdrifts that can be as deep as 40 feet and avalanche-prone slopes with drops of up to 2,000 feet. Sometimes the plows meet in the middle as early as the first week of May, but this year was delayed due to the wetter than average Winter and Spring. The latest opening was in 2017 when it didn’t open until July 27th. Records date back to 1931. Up to date information about Lassen Volcanic National Park can be found at nps.gov/lavo.
– Steve Gibson