It’s no secret that Lassen Peak is an active volcano that may erupt again in the future. Located in the Shasta Cascade region of NorCal, the peak—along with the surrounding Lassen Volcanic National Park—has become a popular spot for recreational activities, sightseeing, and photography. It’s easy to get swept up by peak’s magnificent beauty and forget that the last time it erupted was really not that long ago. In fact, video footage of the eruption was uncovered in recent years and you’ll definitely want to see it for yourself.
One of the most powerful volcanic eruptions of the last century occurred here in Northern California. Second only to the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1980, the explosive eruption of Lassen Peak is one that truly rocked our state and the regions surrounding it.
The eruption occurred on May 22, 1915 and it was part of a series of eruptions that took place between 1914 and 1917. Although that certainly sounds like a long time ago, it really wasn't that long ago at all (especially in geologic terms.)
In fact, the eruption took place during a time in which both photography and videography were possible. This means that we have some excellent photos of Lassen erupting, and there's even video footage of it as well.
The series of eruptions that took place a century ago were actually very significant. A whole side of the peak was lost during one of the eruptions. When you look at Lassen Peak today, you're looking at a different peak that existed before the eruptions occurred.
Lassen "announced" the 1915 eruption almost exactly a year in advance. Steam explosions began to occur on May 30, 1914 and continued for a year. By the time lava was first sighted spilling down the sides of the volcano in 1915, the summit crater had expanded to 1,000 feet.
The 1915 eruption devastated the surrounding region. Snow mixed with volcanic materials and created massive mudflows. Hot gas and rock destroyed Lassen's immediate surroundings. Additionally, volcanic ash rained down on landscapes as far as 200 miles away.
Although Lassen Peak is regularly monitored, it's hard to determine when the next eruption will take place. It could be hundreds or thousands of years from now, and that's quite okay with us! In the meantime, take a look at the footage below and see for yourself what this notable eruption actually looked like.
