100726 Crater Lake

July 30, 2010 - Bend, Oregon -
Hail - I got a ticket for the 12 noon boat ride around the lake. You have to show up at the ticket booth on the east side of the lake at 8:30 on the morning you want to take the boat ride, and stand in line to get one of the tickets (unless you reserve in advance, which I didn't do). All the tickets were sold for the day, when I got here yesterday, so today was my first chance. It’s quite a walk from the rim down to the lake (one mile of switchbacks, dropping 700 feet), and I was three-fourths of the way there when people coming back up told me the ride was canceled because of the lightening and imminent thunderstorm. I turned around and headed back up to the top, but didn’t get very far before it started raining. Then it started hailing – hail the size of large peas. I hid under trees in dry spots during the worst of it, but kept going also, as I was afraid the path was going to turn to mud and I wanted to get to the top before that happened. It quit hailing before I got to the top, and all that was left was intermittent showers by then. I will try again tomorrow.

Rim Drive - In the morning, when the sun was shining and the weather was nice, I drove around the rim. Still incredible views. It's like the lake is a giant mirror [photo above]. Still so gorgeous it makes me cry.

Earthquake! - After my un-boat ride I drove out to see the fossil fumaroles at Pinnacles Trail. Interesting formations. [photo right] I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a thing before. But the most unforgettable thing happened while I was there. I felt the earth shake – oh, so slightly, for just a second. I was standing quietly at the end of the canyon, just absorbing the view below me. At first I thought the cliff was caving in, and I was done for. I quickly stepped back from the edge. The people I'd been walking with, who were further behind me on the trail, and were walking and talking, didn't feel a thing. But everyone could see all the dusk falling off the pinnacles formations and into the canyon, and the dust hung in the air over the river for quite awhile. So I've experienced my first "earthquake".

Weather - You know, I was just thinking that although I’ve had windy, cold, humid, cloudy, weather, I’ve yet to have a rainy day, and voila! There it is! That's what today turned into.

Cascade Peaks – There are 14 major volcanic peaks in the US Cascade range. Before this trip, I’d seen four: Mt. Lassen and Mt. Shasta in California, Mt. Hood by Portland, and Mt. St. Helens in Washington. On this trip I’ve added Mt. McLoughlin by Klamath Falls, Crater Lake, and Mt. Thielsen,which you can see to the north from the rim. I’ve yet to see: Diamond Peak, Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson. And in Washington: Mt. Adams, Mt. Ranier, Glacier Peak, and Mt. Baker.