It wasn't all about volleyball while in Klamath Falls - we took a day trip to Crater Lake.
It was a beautiful day!
Crater Lake is a volcanic crater lake about an hour from Klamath Falls. It is the main feature of Crater Lake National Park (I used the National Park pass again) and is famous for its deep blue color and water clarity. The lake partly fills a 2,148-foot-deep caldera that was formed around 7,700 years ago by the collapse of the volcano Mount Mazama. There are no rivers flowing into or out of the lake, the evaporation is compensated for by rain and snowfall at a rate such that the total amount of water is replaced every 250 years. With a depth of 1,949 feet, the lake is the deepest in the United States and in the world ranks ninth for maximum depth and third for average depth.
Crater Lake features two small islands. Wizard Island is located near the western shore of the lake and is a cinder cone approximately 316 acres in size. Phantom Ship is a natural rock pillar and is located near the southern shore.
Wizard Island
We laughed about the sign we saw as we entered the park and now I really started to worry. Haha!
We might not have known if it hadn't been called out. Danger!
Be careful Brooke!
So many beautiful viewpoints.
We walked towards the Rim Village Visitor Center and stopped to take a pic.
Ron and Brooke took a walk down to the overlook. Didn't they know it was dangerous to be close to the edge? :-)
See the rock building on the side of the cliff?
An interesting diorama.
Close-up of the lake
And this is where you can view the Phantom Ship. See it out there?
While they made the trek down (and back up), I stayed behind and read a few of the signs. This one was interesting.
Thankfully, the walk turned out to not be too dangerous and they made it back safely. So we took a walk over to the lodge. Like many of the buildings, the lodge closed about a week before we visited as they were preparing for the average 42 feet of snowfall to come.
Visitors to the 71 room lodge enjoy modern accommodations in a rustic atmosphere reminiscent of the original 1920-era lodge. Each room provides modern comfort and privacy. The dining room overlooks the lake and serves northwest regional cuisine. An exhibit room just off the lobby provides information about the history of the lodge, Crater Lake, and the park. We were sorry we couldn't go inside.
We had planned ahead and brought some lunch. We looked around for a picnic table but decided to just drive to an overlook and enjoy the view.
Mmmmm, Jimmy John's
After devouring our lunch, we drove on and saw some other sights.
On the other side of the road from the lake
Ron was amazed at some of the dead trees.
It was wonderful to be outside and enjoy the fresh air. I'm sure Brooke was happy to have a break from school and get out of the gym.
Whenever I see dead trees, I wonder why no one has cut them down. But I must say, that FIRST one looks like a work of art.
ReplyDeleteMaybe that's why it hasn't been cut down?
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