Lassen Park >> Where’s the visitor center?

That’s the first question that comes to mind these days if you take a trip to Lassen Volcanic National Park.

The snowbanks rise higher and higher beside the road to the north to the park from Highway 36. By the time you pass the snowbound entrance stations, the snow looks to be about 12 feet deep. The parking lot is plowed, but any view of the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center is blocked by the depth of the snow.

To reach the center — or even see it — you have to wander down a curving snow-lined chute, marked for the snow removal crews with orange-painted 4-by-4s. Even then only the entrance porch isn’t obscured by the snowbanks.

“We’ve actually been able to have a winter this year,” said park spokeswoman Karen Haner, explaining drought conditions the past few years curtailed things like cross-country skiing, snowshoing and field trips by schoolchildren.

“We’re thrilled to have winter back,” she said.

The restrooms at the visitor center and the vestibule with visitor information are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but the rest of the building is only open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

During those hours the information desk and bookstore are staffed, and the various displays are open. The cafe is shut for the season, and the gift shop is only open 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, according to the park’s website, www.nps.gov/lavo.

Saturday afternoon, the parking lot was pretty full. Cross-country skiers could be seen heading up the snow-covered park road, and others just were frolicking in the white stuff.

The park does offer guided snowshoe walks at 1:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sunday from the visitor center. The park service provides the snowshoes, asking a $1 donation for maintenance. There are some other rules and space is limited to 40 people. Go to the park website for more information.

You actually can still camp at the walk-in campground at the southwest entrance, or park an RV in the parking lot. One camper van appeared to have been on scene for a few days Saturday. Fires and fire trays aren’t allowed but you can run a camp stove or barbecue.

Haner said quite a few people actually camp in the winter. Most are in RVs, but the park gets Boy Scout troops getting a taste of snow camping and other hardy folk.

From the northwest entrance, you can currently travel as far as the Loomis Plaza. There’s less snow there, just 41 inches, according to the park website.

At the Lassen Peak parking lot, there’s about 20 feet of snow.

Haner said clearing the main road would start later this month, from the north side. Crews usually clear to the Devastated Area from that direction before shifting around to the snowier southern side of the park.

She said the process of opening the road would take several months.

Reach City Editor Steve Schoonover at 896-7750.