7 BROKEOFF MOUNTAIN, the second highest peak in the park. The volcanic lava and ash layers are abruptly broken off on the north side, hence the name “Brokeoff”. This mountain is a flank remnant of ancestral Mount Tehama which once towered more than 1,000 feet higher than Lassen Peak. Tehama was a composite, or strato-type volcano like Mt. Shasta. It was destroyed by a series of cracks, called faults, which cut Tehama into huge blocks. These sunk, causing collapse of the great mountain. Mt. Conard to the southeast, and the ridge between Brokeoff and Lassen Peak, are also remnants of the Tehama rim, all dipping away from the center of the old volcano. On the southeast horizon are the Sierra Nevada, with Childs Meadow closer in. To the north is the ragged top of Diamond Peak with a natural window through the rocks on the upper right near the skyline. (0.6 mile) 8 DIAMOND POINT, on the southeast flank of Diamond Peak. This rock is volcanic agglomerate, a mass of volcanic ejecta which became stuck together by small amounts of still molten lava. Nearby is one of the volcanic vents of ancestral Mt. Tehama. The material on top of Diamond Peak is explosive debris slightly consolidated by the cementing action of volcanic ash and is called tuff. It has weathered into very rough and rugged forms. There is an excellent view of Mt. Conard. Mill Creek Canyon below has been glaciated; Childs Meadow is visible at the mouth of the canyon. (0.4 mile) 9 LASSEN PEAK SIGN. This is one of the best views of the south side of Lassen Peak. To the left of it is sharp Eagle Peak and rounded Ski Heil. To the right, across the canyon at eye level, the red coloring is due to iron oxides, and the yellow-green is due to millions of lichen plants on the rocks. Across the roadway at the roadbank is cool drinking and car radiator water. Watch for autos when crossing the highway! (0.1 mile) 10 THE SLOPING LAYERS OF LAVA AND ASH across the canyon to the east were part of ancestral Mt. Tehama. Just to the right are highly colored rocks that were once grey andesite lavas, but they have been chemically altered by steam and sulphurous acid from below. The white areas are largely clay with some non-precious opal. The tans, red, and purple are stains of iron oxides. Volcanic fumes reach the surface abundantly in this area, rising along fault cracks. Deep in the canyon below lies picturesque little Ink Lake. (0.2 mile) 11 THE HUGE BOULDERS on the west (uphill) side of the road are chunks of cemented volcanic fragments which have rolled down from the top of Diamond Peak. Lassen Peak is visible to the north (up canyon) from this vicinity, picturesquely framed by roadside trees. (1.4 miles)