Crater Lake

But this morning, with an east drift, the smoke had cleared and we were offered a brilliant day for our boat tour.  Wow!  A 45 minute hike in on seven switchbacks took us down to the mountain lake level and then I find out that I could have had my swimming suit.  Well, darn.  Waiting for our turn in the boats we watched trout jump and kids swim and relaxed on rocks which were covered with the white powder of decomposed pumice which seems to permanently be embedded into our clothes.  I could have stayed there forever.  And it seems that I can fish for free with no limits as the Park Service has pressed the public into their service because Mr. Steel (a well-meaning philanthropist and paramount shaker and mover, along with Theodore Roosevelt, established Crater Lake as a Federal Park) stocked the lake with 32 trout and steelhead and a number of crayfish to feed the trout.   After our time on the lake that we ascend the walls of the caldera…one hour and ten minutes with un-numbered rest stops we crested the rim…in need of lunch…a picnic.  Our car tour took us around the remaining drive around of the lake with a jaunt off to the left to see the pinnacles; towers welded in form by scalding fumerals buried within flows of pumice and finally eroded to exposure by an eroding creek of snowmelt.  Our day was ended with the onslaught of smoke.  We dined at Crater Lake Lodge for our 32^nd anniversary.  

hiking in

reflections...and the lake is more blue than pictured

Phantom Ship



Pinnacles...



...and pinnacles