NOV 17 2013 

BY JULIA

Panum Crater is a hidden gem, literally.

Located adjacent to Mono Lake in north-eastern California, off Mono Lake Basin Road, or Highway 120 East, Panum Crater is a geological wonder with giant shards of obsidian (the largest I’ve ever seen) and contrasting rough chunks of pumice (pick one up to feel its weight). The other-worldly crater is worth the short hike; it’s as though you step on to another planet the moment you enter its core.

Panum Crater Expedition by Julia at XplorMor

There are two trails at the crater, one leads into the core and the other circumvents its rim. Both are worth the effort as they each offer a unique perspective of the crater, from its internal commotion to panoramic scenic vistas of the surrounding Mono Lake Basin and Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. If you have to choose between them, you cannot go wrong.

Panum Crater Expedition by Julia at XplorMor

Panum Crater is a relatively young volcanic cone at a mere age of 600-700 years, and part of the Mono-Inyo Crater Chain.  According to our guide, it demonstrates characteristics of a rhyolitic lava dome in that its contents show a high amount of silica, and much of the current crater dome is made of pumice and obsidian, the volcanic glass that Native Americans used to make arrow tips.

Read more and watch the XplorMor Expedition Slide Show.

Panum Crater Expedition by Julia at XplorMor

Explore more XplorMor World Wide Photographic and Terrain Expeditions, and delve deeper into the journey through Xplorer Journals written by our team and guest contributors. These are first-hand accounts from the expeditions, offering tips, insights and stunning photography. Then discover our web and print ready images to enhance your publications.

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