It's been twenty years since last visiting Crater Lake NP. Naturally our excitement heightens when coming to this sign at the West entrance.
One of the first facilities on the drive is the Mazama Campground. Naturally we check it out to see if it is "Popeye approved." We find just two sites we can fit into; perhaps bringing Popeye is not such a grand idea.
Adjacent to the campground is this cute restaurant & gift shop.
Of course we buy the required T-shirts and Bob even scores some boxer shorts perfect for use as hot weather PJ's.
The next stop is the Steel Information Center Park Headquarters.
Here is where we can ask questions, see the movie, view the displays, and most importantly, get Bob's Passport book stamped. At last count, he had over 225 stamps in his book. The Ranger was impressed!
The above photo shows Bob explaining the Passport book to an interested party, and most likely gloating just a tad, about all the places visited.
The views here are awesome, and we are surprised to find quite a bit of snow still on the ground. The park's average snowfall is 44 feet per year, and June temperatures average around 58 degrees.
Our objectives for this visit are specific: (1) To take a boat tour of the lake and hike on Wizard Island; (2) To drive completely around Crater Lake; and (3) to tour the Lodge, which was being partially demolished during our last visit 20 years ago.
Reality strikes a crushing blow: NO, the boat tours begin mid July and end on Labor Day; NO, there is too much snow and rocks to drive completely around the lake, half way will have to suffice; but YES, the Lodge, completed in 1994, is open and we can enjoy lunch in the dining room. One out of 3 will have to do!
While waiting for a table, we walk out on the deck for a breathtaking view.
With our table ready, we venture inside the dining room and enjoy a scrumptious lunch - well worth the wait.
After lunch, we walk around the snow cleared path, and take in more awesome scenery.
Fortunately, birds are plentiful and accustomed to people. This little guy, a Clark's Nutcracker, actually seemed to enjoy posing.
Now driving on the rim road, we come across this lookout, which provides a rather dramatic picture.
Not knowing how far we can drive, we stop & take several pictures along the way. Hope you enjoy them. Please take a look at our web album for more pictures.
Returning to the Lodge for bathroom privileges, I take a few more photos of the interior.
Walking outside, once again, I find more Clark's Nutcrackers, and this time, some Mountain Bluebirds. They are as blue as the lake.
The road has come to an end, and it's time to return to the Valley of the Rogue. We enjoy the last scenery prior to driving out of the park - Magnificent!
This photo shows Mt. Shasta in the background, not quite completely out of the clouds.
And finally, why is the lake so blue? At 1,943 feet deep, it is one of the deepest lakes in the world. The last color in the light spectrum to be absorbed by clear water is blue. Because the lake is so deep, the eye interprets the lake to be the deepest of blues. In reality, it is no bluer than the sky.
For further information: Crater Lake National Park
Please use the link on the right to visit our web album.
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