Overview
Lassen panorama from Reading Peak Reading Peak is a small plug dome volcano 2.5 miles southeast of
Lassen Peak in
Lassen Volcanic National Park. The peak is very accessible. Highway 89 snakes around the south slope. Extensive glaciation has left no trace of the original pumice and the massively jointed interiors are exposed. This has left the slopes and summit ridge with random sections of scree and talus that make this short class 2 hike more challenging than other peaks in the area. Reading is a fairly popular skiing and snowboarding destination that can be combined with Lassen Peak.
Check out
Powder Cloud by Johannes Henkel.
To the northwest looms the southeast face of Lassen Peak,
Chaos Crags, distant
Mt. Shasta and
Crater Peak. To the southeast are Mt, Harkness and Lake Almanor. To the southwest and west is
Mt. Conard,
Brokeoff Mtn.,
Mt. Diller, Bumpass Mtn. and
Eagle Peak. These are volcanic remnants, of the eroded caldera of ancient Mt. Tehama, a massive statavolcano that predates Lassen Peak and was much larger. And to the northeast the cinder cones of West Prospect and Prospect Peaks are most prominent.
Getting There
Lassen Peak from Reading Peak south slope From the south: From Interstate 5 turn east on Hwy. 36 at Red Bluff. Go 44 miles east to Hwy. 89. turn left (north) and go 4 miles to Lassen Volcanic National Park entrance. Continue on 89 3.5 miles as it winds it's way up through the park, passes Lassen Peak, drops down a bit and curves to a saddle at the west end of Reading Peak which is prominent to the left. Hike .25 miles up through trees to the west ridge of Reading Peak and follow the ridge .5 miles to the summit.
From the north: From Interstate 5 at Redding go 46 miles east on Hwy. 44 to Hwy. 89. Stay to the right and enter Lassen Volcanic National Park on Hwy. 89. Continue 19.5 miles on 89 around Lassen Peak to the saddle at the west end of Reading Peak and take the west ridge.
Red Tape
Reading Peak (lower right) from Lassen Peak There is a fee of 10 dollar per vehicle and 5 dollars per person to enter Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Camping
South to Lake Almanor from Reading Peak Click here for
Campgrounds of Lassen Volcanic.
Current road and weather conditions in Lassen Volcanic National Park
Click here for current road conditions.
Click here for current weather and snow conditions.