“The real difficulty about vulcanism is not to see how it can start, but how it can stop.” – Sir Harold Jeffreys, “Earthquakes and Mountains”
Our dramatic volcano, Mount Konocti, is now included into one of our newest county parks, Mount Konocti County Park.
It rests in the center of Lake County. Its highest peak stands at an elevation of 4,305 feet and is set amongst the California Coast Ranges.
This ancient volcano is dormant, and is set along the Pacific Ring of Fire. It dates back to the Pliocene era, and it is believed by geologists to have erupted about 350,000 years ago, with the latest eruptions having occurred at around 10,000 years ago.
There is a United States Government Survey (USGS) study of the volcanoes in the United States.
According to the USGS Volcano Hazards Program Web site at http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/publications/2009/nvews.php , the National Volcano Early Warning System was created on a national level to monitor our country's 169 “young” volcanoes.
Mount Konocti sits in the Clear Lake Volcanic Field, and includes The Geysers geothermal field.
Mount Konocti is considered young, geologically. It is believed that the young volcanoes pose a danger due to the location of nearby communities and the potential that young volcanoes have to erupt.
The USGS Web site is broken down to regions, with categories of “Highest Priority” and “High Priority,” with the Clear Lake Volcanics Field listed as “High Priority” to monitor.
Mount Konocti's cultural and historic values are immense, and this lava dome has much to teach us.
Mount Konocti County Park is located just outside of Kelseyville. To get to the park, turn off at Konocti Road, drive past the park entrance for about three miles to the parking lots to begin your hike.
The ascent is gradual at first, and leads you over an easement road through a privately owned walnut orchard. The hike is 3 miles up, but the descent does not seem as long!
Next, the peak that greets you is Clark Peak, with an elevation of 2,850 feet. As you hike up, you will be rewarded with fabulous vistas of Clear Lake. There are sturdy benches placed along the trail to relax and enjoy the sights and sounds.
If you trek on, and select the right-hand tine of the fork in the road you'll meet Wright Peak, which is 3,489 feet in elevation.
The terrain changes now to a canyon oak forest, with some of its forest family holding the distinction of living to the five-century mark. The oaks have also been called “maul oaks,” as their wood was once used for axe handles.
Not far ahead is the remnants of a 1903 pioneer cabin which once belong to Mary Downen. She chose to homestead on Mount Konocti because it was a quiet and picturesque place to live.
The trails are lined with a myriad of picture-perfect wildflowers in the springtime. You can see Indian Paintbrush, lilac, morning glory and poppies among many, many others.
If you can take your eyes off the impressive views, you'll learn much about our local history and geology from the educational interpretive panels designed by tireless volunteer and former State Park's ranger, Tom Nixon and Lake County Museum Curator Linda Lake. The graphic artist for the panels was Gerri Groody.
You will learn that Mount Konocti contains five distinguishing peaks: the aforementioned Wright Peak, Howard Peak, at 4,286 feet, South Peak, which is 4,286 feet, Buckingham Peak, 3,967 feet and Clark Peak, which is 2,880 feet in elevation.
Archaeologists studying Mount Konocti have determined that Pomo and Wappo Indians lived nearby more than 11,000 years ago.
The mountain was not lived upon by them, however, as it was, and is still considered a sacred site.
For more information on hiking in Mount Konocti County Park, visit the award-winning Konocti Regional Trails Web site at http://konoctitrails.com/trails/mt-konocti-county-park/wright-peak-summit-trail/ .
Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is an educator, potter, writer and author of “Anderson Marsh State Historic Park: A Walking History, Prehistory, Flora, and Fauna Tour of a California State Park” and “Native Americans of Lake County.” She also writes for NASA and JPL as one of their “Solar System Ambassadors.” She was selected “Lake County Teacher of the Year, 1998-99” by the Lake County Office of Education, and chosen as one of 10 state finalists the same year by the California Department of Education.