Shasta Chapter CNPS is proud to once again host a presentation by long-time Chapter member, current Chapter Secretary, and photographer extraordinaire, Greg Lockett. Last year, he wowed us with his photography of Turtle Creek flora. This year, on Thursday, May 21, 2026, Greg will share his fabulous photography of another very special botanical area in a slideshow entitled, Chaos Crags: Lava Domes and Wildflowers. For this presentation, Greg took his best images from 22 years of photographing Chaos Crags and wove them into a story about this unique mountain location. His program is intended for a general audience: the science will be expressed in simple terms and the show can be appreciated as an exploration of beauty in an unusual environment.
Photo taken March 13, 2026, by Greg Lockett.
The program will be presented in two parts. The first part will describe the volcanic origin of Chaos Crags in Lassen Volcanic National Park. The six volcanoes that comprise Chaos Crags are not the type of volcano created when lava flows out of a crater or fault. These are lava domes. They are created by a different process and are prone to sudden collapse and explosions. As you understand how Chaos Crags came into existence, you will understand much of the geology of Lassen Park.
The botanical portion of the show will be limited to plants accessible from Crags Lake Trail and around Crags Lake. This defines the area that most visitors explore. There are many interesting plants growing along the lower parts of Crags Lake Trail. Once past the west ridge of Chaos Crater, hiking quickly becomes extremely difficult, so the stars in the show will be those plants that you can see without challenging rock dodging and hopping. Along the way, common plant adaptations to a harsh mountain environment will be discussed. A background in botany is not required to enjoy this show. It is aimed at the non-expert who enjoys good photography wrapped in a good story.
Photo by Greg Lockett.
Photo by Greg Lockett.
Greg has a BA in philosophy with an art minor from USC, and a BS in chemistry from UC Berkeley. In Greg’s own words, “I’ve always straddled the divide between art and science. I have been taking photographs for about 60 years. I taught photography to high school students for the last 15 years of my teaching career. I started in a traditional darkroom at West Valley High School, and then transitioned to a computer lab with digital cameras at Anderson New Technology High School. Since I retired in 2010, I’ve been more exclusively focused on photography.”
Photo taken April 7, 2026, by Steve Main.
Please join us in being dazzled by a beautiful presentation on the geology and flora of this unique location! That’s 5:30 or 6 PM on Thursday, May 21, 2026. Venue and time details are below. See you there! ~Shasta Chapter CNPS
Photo by Greg Lockett
The meeting venue
With sincere gratitude to McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, Shasta Chapter CNPS continues to meet in the new Turtle Bay Nursery Classroom, 1125 Arboretum Drive, Redding. There is lots of free, paved parking just steps away from the classroom building, and nice, curbed sidewalks. To get to the new venue, from South Market Street, turn east onto Arboretum Drive. Veer right at the first opportunity (so you don’t end up at Turtle Bay Elementary School!), and drive a short way to the “curvy” parking lot to the east of Arboretum Drive.
The Nursery Classroom is just inside a large wrought-iron double gate, which is just north of the entrance to the botanical gardens proper.
Photo taken August 30, 2024, by Don Burk.
The meeting time
We will get the show on the road no later than 6 PM for our short Chapter meeting and announcements, followed by our speaker’s presentation. Or come as early as 5:30 PM to socialize and see what sort of pre-meeting activity or display we might have for you!