Craters Of The Moon

This is a loooong post. It would be even longer if I knew for sure that my father-in-law Ed hadn't been to COTM before because we took a lot of pictures of cool rocks and geologic formations. Anyways, Craters of the Moon is one of my favorite places in Idaho. That might be because I'm such a volcano geek but it is really pretty even if you're not a rock nut.

The path up to the top of the cinder cone. That white speck is a person about 3/4 of the way up the cone.

This is at the end of the day. Arlie was pooped from all the climbing and hiking. We were so lucky to have such perfect weather.

I've never been anywhere like this, with just miles and miles of lava fields. Hawaii is the only other place I can think of that would have the same kind of basaltic eruptions.

Arlie popping out of a lava tunnel. I'm below pushing her up and out. I was happy that she had so much fun but I think to a toddler the whole world is a playground.

"Skylight" in one of the lava tunnels.

Arlie squishing herself into a crevice.

Family portrait in the neck of a spatter cone.

Looking down into the spatter cone. Despite ground temperatures of 150 degrees during the summer some snow does survive!

Andrew and Arlie walking down the cinder cone.

Arlie and I checking out some cinders and pahoehoe.

A close up of some of the Blue Dragon lava.