As I said in my last blog post, our time in the Pacific Northwest was wrapping up. But I couldn't go without one last blast of pictures from Crater Lake National Park in Oregon because this place is too good to be true.
Almost as unbelievable as its beauty is its formation. Something like 7,000 years ago, a volcano (Mount Mazama) erupted and basically made the mountain collapse. As things settled, the caldera filled with snow and rain to form the lake, which has an average depth of over 1100 feet (deepest point 1900 feet)!!! The deepest lake in the US!
We did a very short backpacking trip there (a whole mile to our campsite), but hiked about 13 miles around the park and up to the park's highest mountain (Mount Scott at 8,900 feet - wonder if it's named after my brother-in-law?). We even got on the PCT again (this section is surprisingly flat). We were worried about the crowds since it was Labor Day weekend; we always try to visit popular parks in the off season. The crowds weren't terrible, but next time we come to this park, it will definitely be a winter trip!
Labels: Backpacker, National Parks, Outdoor Recreation, Road Trips
