Driving to the Summit

The drive from HP to the summit is more geological than ecological. As soon as you climb the first hill, there's no more plants. There's dust everywhere. It's a normal dirt road, but in usual local style, it's banked the wrong way so that in a snow storm you're sent right off the road into the ditch or off the cliff. Genious. It's really unique the whole way. So, first you climb the big hill that gets you on to the lava plateau.

This type of terrain continues for quie a while, maybe 10000-12000ft. Lots of great places to run into rocks.

Once near the end of the plateau, the cinder cones litter the summit area in front of you.
The true summit comes barely in sight. It's deceptively tall. All the cinder cones around you make it look very strange. The last switchback, mabye a thousand feet tall, gets you up to the summit.
Where you spend all night working.