NorCal Geology

This summer I had the wonderful opportunity to take a geology field trip class to Northern California to visit the Modoc Plateau and Lassen Volcanic National Park. These are areas I had never visited before and the chance to see them for such a cheap price was more than enough incentive to go. I met up with the class at Devil's Post Pile and left my car in Mammoth to continue in the vans with the class. The following day we drove to Lava Beds National Monument. Lava Beds has the largest collection of lava tubes in North America so spelunking was the name of the game. Bats live in some of the caves, one cave even has ice in it year round. The area was also home to the Modoc Indians before they were sent to the Klamath Reservation. A small band came back and fought a gorilla war against US troops. Led by Captain Jack, they hid out amongst the lava outcroppings and kept the soldiers at bay for 6 months before half the group rebelled and turned in Capt Jack. Just east of the monument is the remnants of the Tule Lake Segregation Camp where thousands of Japanese Americans were illegally held during WW II. We toured the camp "jail" and saw some of the scribbled notes on the walls left by occupants.