abandoning vacation homes that would vanish in the rain of hot ashes and molten rock. the explosion of mount lassen was more -- serious californias took to the mountains to take a look at this amazing thing, an active volcano in the u.s. families would picnic from a safe distance and watch the show. and leaving a devastating area miles wide where once there had been forest. the eruption put the previously obscure area on the map. through the efforts of mr. lummus and others, lasser became a national park in 1916. today people come for the view, the wild flowers, the clouds that look close enough to touch. the hiking and camping and fishing. fred hall has been bringing up his family from placerville for 40 year. >> the devastated area was devastated. there was small brush and you can see to the mountains now it's forest. we've seen a change in this place for 40 years. >> it's not like other parks like yosemite. you never see any crowds here. >> no i would say, the complaint of the forest service no one seems to come up here. it seems to be a lost attraction. that's one