Revisiting Crater Lake

Yesterday, we drove to Crater Lake National Park, about 10 miles away.  The road to the park is lined with thick growth of Lodge Pole Pines.  When were here on June 24, 2004 (my birthday), Doug took my picture along the side of the road and the snow was a couple of feet plus over my head!  No snow left this year.   So with the heavy snow in 2004, we only got to drive about one third of the rim road and our goal was to drive the entire rim road this trip.  

We started the drive around the rim going counter-clockwise.  Being afraid of heights, I soon realized that was the WRONG choice!  The right lane was on the side away from the rim so it was built on the side of the mountains.  Steep drop offs and NO shoulder made me far too uncomfortable.  So Doug said we would turn around at the rim village and go clock-wise so I am not on the edge.  Whew, I felt much better!  There were still just a few turns that had me back on the edge but not like before.  We also noticed several rock slides that had occurred and been cleared off the road.  The rim drive is 33 miles around.  There were just a few small patches of snow left here and there.  But I do have a photo from 2004 when there was still plenty of snow and it made the blue lake look so beautiful against a cloudless sky.  I sure miss that view this time.  But like elsewhere, the snow just wasn’t heavy this year, there is usually 500”+ annually.   The rim drive winds around through the mountains and Lodge Pole Pines with overlooks.  You can see views of distant mountains and Diamond Lake, where the RV park is.   

Crater Lake is a maximum of 6.02 miles across and minimum of 4.54 miles across.  It is 1,943’ deep at the deepest point and holds 4.9 trillion gallons of water.  The tallest point on the rim is 1, 978’ above the lake.  This volcanic basin is at the top of Mt. Mazama, built from volcanic eruptions for 400,000 years.  It reached 12,000’ when it became most violent 7,700 years ago.  As magma chambers emptied, the mountain just could not support its own weight and collapsed forming the basin.  The basin is filled with rain and snowfall. 

 

Pictures don’t do justice to the beautiful color of the water.  Below is the mysterious island called the “Phantom Ship”.  You can see people in the boat taking a tour of the lake.  You can also get on and off the boat on the larger island in the upper picture.  The boat tour requires climbing down 200 steps and the same back up.  It is very steep and strenuous, but we won’t be doing that. 

 

The rim drive was just a pleasant drive and we got to see other views of Crater Lake.