2015-08-11 - Northwest Road Trip - Crater Lake - Part II
Choosing to drive a clockwise loop, we headed down from Rim Village to The Watchman. Much of the road surrounding Crater Lake is fairly narrow with steep drop-offs on one or both sides. This means that it is not uncommon to see cars in the middle of the road straddling the line. Perhaps a little too trusting in my own driving skills, I stayed on my side almost all the time. This and Lassen Peak really improved my driving abilities. We learned that morning that in 1997, a Secchi disk reading was performed at Crater Lake and resulted in a clarity up to 143 feet, the highest ever recorded in history. Although, due to the fire-fuelled fog, it did not look as clear on this day.
Starting upon the trail, I heard the clapping of bugs and saw a squirrel dart up the boulder field. A pika was also visible among the rocks and trees below. A lone dragonfly flew in front of me. A second pika scurried down between two rocks as an orange butterfly flew above it. Nature is spontaneous and beautiful. The trail is steep but short and soon the watch tower swung into view. Mountain peaks rose in the distance to the north, Mount Bailey and Thielsen among them. Wizard's Island and the lake exploded out underneath us to the east with Mount Scott in the distance. The distant trees and hills to the west were as blue as the sky itself.
Starting upon the trail, I heard the clapping of bugs and saw a squirrel dart up the boulder field. A pika was also visible among the rocks and trees below. A lone dragonfly flew in front of me. A second pika scurried down between two rocks as an orange butterfly flew above it. Nature is spontaneous and beautiful. The trail is steep but short and soon the watch tower swung into view. Mountain peaks rose in the distance to the north, Mount Bailey and Thielsen among them. Wizard's Island and the lake exploded out underneath us to the east with Mount Scott in the distance. The distant trees and hills to the west were as blue as the sky itself.
At an overlook in the north, we stepped out of the car to the screech of an osprey above. We walked up the sandy slope to look beyond the wooden fence. The smoke of fires fumed to the west. Driving on, we stopped at Skell Head. We could see the ferry launching in the waters below, carrying passengers and park rangers to Wizard Island or around the lake. It is a steep hike down to and back up from the ferry docks. We had chose to spend our time doing other things around the lake instead. There was a sign telling the legends of Llao and Skell as well as talking about the sacrifice of two elders. This land, like so many other National Parks are held sacred by certain Native American tribes.
The main hike of the day was Mount Scott. We would hike past gnarly western hemlock trees, ascending a steep 1200 feet within 2.5 miles. I spotted 3 pikas along the way and heard more clapping crickets. Later, I listened to the crisp chirp of an unseen bird as my eye traced the shadow of a dragonfly along the ground. My brother was tired from the steep hike and would fall behind time and again. I would wait further up the trail for him to catch up before speeding on each time.
As the trail turned, we could see huge clouds generated by the raging fire. It seemed to grow stronger while we were here. The watch tower destination gleamed like a Taoist teahouse above the winding road. At the watchtower, breathtaking views surrounded us in all directions. I was really glad to have selected this hike. To the east, an impressive falcon flew to about the same height as us. The geological survey marker told us we were 8938 feet high. Strong gusts of wind sounded like storms before we even felt the impact.
After resting and admiring the views at the top, we headed back down. Peter didn't feel like hiking alone so I slowed down to stay with him. He talked about why we had to sneak around like a criminal those two nights we slept in the car. Hiding from people? Eating in secret? He just wanted a place to sleep each night. Luckily, we did not have to endure that again. After exiting the trail and getting back to the car, we finished the loop drive and stopped at a few last places, including the Pumice Castle and the unimpressive Vidae Falls. From what I read, it is sometimes more spectacular after rain. Exiting through the Southern Entrance, we headed back unto the road into the world of cows! I stopped on the roadside to check my map and take a break while hundreds of cows swarmed around us behind their fence. Besides the smell, I found it quite entertaining. I hope I didn't bother them too much. We stayed that night at the Klamath Falls KOA. The warm showers and soft ground for our tent was again, much appreciated. I really wouldn't mind staying at a KOA every night during a trip. And for two people sharing one campsite, it is quite affordable, much more so than motels and about the same as other campgrounds.
