Winter Sports in Lassen Volcanic National Park
February 22, 2017 by: Sharon Roberts
Lassen Park – Great Place for Winter Sports and Snow Play
Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center will remain open this winter at Lassen Park. The visitor center is a great place to relax and warm-up after a day of playing in the snow.
Days: Wed. through Thurs. until March 31, 2017
Hours: 9 am – 5 pm
Also for President’s weekend on Feb. 20th, Lassen Park will be offering free park entrance, as well as a special ski celebration event.
Learn to Snowshoe for only $ 1.00
Ranger-led Snowshoe Walks will begin in January on Saturday and will continue through April 7th, 2017. The walks are held on Saturday and Sundays, from 1:30 to approximately 3:30 pm.
Meet at the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center.
If you have never snowshoed before, Ranger-led snowshoe walks are an excellent way to learn or practice snowshoeing techniques and explore Lassen in its winter form.
Route and distance varies depending on group ability and fitness. At the beginning of each snowshoe walk, a ranger will demonstrate how to put on snowshoes and how to move around. Once the basic techniques are covered, the group heads out into the snow and the adventure begins!
Snowshoes are provided, a $1 donation is requested to cover maintenance costs. Reservations are required for organized groups, but not for families or individuals. Walks are open to those eight years of age and older; children in carriers are not allowed due to safety concerns.
These walks will most likely follow the snow-covered park highway from the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center to the Sulphur Works hydrothermal area. The route is about two miles round-trip and is appropriate for first-time snowshoers.
For both of these Ranger led snowshoe walks plan on arriving a little early. Size of the groups are limited to about 40 snowshoers. This program has been growing in popularity each year.
XC Skiing at Lassen Park
Lassen park is a wonderland for winter sports including; cross-country skiing and sledding. The backcountry of Lassen Park offers unparalleled opportunities for some great cross-country, Telemark or Randonee skiing.
The 29 mile snow-covered main road of Lassen Park is a good place to start. The road can be accessed from the Kohm-Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center on the south side of the park or the Loomis Museum on the north side of the park.
For the more adventurous there are a few marked backcountry wilderness winter skiing trails. Park Trail Maps please scroll to page 7 for winter trail maps.
Sledding and Snowplay
If you just want to play with the kids in the snow, there are several sledding hills close to the parking area of the Kohm-Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center. The visitor center makes a great place to warm up after playing in the snow.
Winter Lodging When Visiting Lassen Park
If you need a place to spend the night please consider St. Bernard Lodge. The winter months are a great time to bring school groups, youth groups ( boy scouts, girl scouts, campfire girl etc.) The lodge offers special group rates. Please call 530-258-3382 and we will be glad to help you plan your trip.
Lassen Park offers special Winter Ecology Programs for school and youth groups. It is usually best to call the park directly to customize your programs to the needs of your group. Lassen Park Education Specialist can be reached at 530-595-6132 ext. 6142.