Southwest Oregon Trip: Crater Lake

On our way to Galice OR to join a whitewater rafting trip down the wild section of the Rogue River, I wanted to visit Crater Lake National Park. We had never been there before and it was right on our way, so why not?

Not needing to check in to our cabin on the Rogue in Galice, a few minutes west of Grants Pass, until 4pm, we could afford a leisurely getaway from home. After splitting a pot of coffee, Ann and I loaded up our food and gear in her car and we set off south down US 97 in the direction of Crater Lake.

It being forest fire season with lots of active fires all around us, I wondered what the visibility would be at the lake. We could only hope that the smoke would be kind to us and let us see the lake. The smoke, though creating a haze, proved to be less bad than I imagined it might be.

When we arrived, I was surprised that nobody was at the north entry gate asking for passes or collecting entry fees. Ditto for the south gate where we exited the park. We arrived at the parking lot at Merriam Point about an hour and forty minutes after leaving the house. As we walked up the hill from the parking lot to the rim of the caldera, I guess I was not expecting the water to be about a thousand feet below us.

Crater Lake with Smoke Haze

First View of the Lake from the North

A Large Rock Outcrop at Merriam Point

Naturally, Ann Had to Visit it

Spires from Eroding Caldera Rim

Sandy Deposits Near the Lake

A Mat-Forming Penstemon
Probably Davidson's, Penstemon davidsonii

Dwarf or Pacific Lupine, Lupinus lepidus

Locally Common and Endangered Whitebark Pine,
Pinus albicaulis

Crazy Whitebark Roots

Where There are Whitebarks, Noisy Clark's Nutcrackers are Sure to Follow

Hillman Peak

My First Time Seeing Prostrate Ceanothus, Ceanothus prostratus

Wizard Island, Looking South

Llao Rock

Llao Rock Again

A White-Blooming Lupine (Most are Blue-Purple)
Anderson's Lupine, Lupinus andersonii, or Sickle-Keel Lupine, Lupinus albicaulis

Fifteen-Foot-High Snow Poles Made of
Lodgepole Pine, Pinus contorta

Looking North at the Middle Fork Fire

Mt. Thielsen Almost Totally Obscured by Smoke

We pulled over at a north-facing overlook to look at the nearby forest fire, dubbed the Middle Fork Fire, between Crater and Diamond Lakes. That fire, now a week later, is still not contained (nor is it threatening much) and has resulted in closure of the north entrance road that we took to get into Crater Lake National Park.

At the overlook, we spent a few minutes chatting with two USFS lookouts posted there to scout the fire for the crews on the ground. The experience reminded us of how hard our wildland firefighters work to keep us safe and how much the well-intentioned fire control policies of the previous century have backfired on us. We're thankful that despite a bit of smoky discomfort in the spring, the controlled burns in our area are helping keep us safe.

Crazy Stunted Whitebark Against the Blue of Crater Lake

Wizard Island Looking East

Lava Specialist Ocean Spray, Holodiscus discolor

Seedheads of Western Pasqueflower, Pulsatilla occidentalis

Ubiquitous Fall Blooming Pearly Everlasting, Anaphalis margaritacea

Fire Tower atop The Watchman Peak

Mooching Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel

Looking in Vain for a Handout

We slowly worked our way from the north entrance road to the Lodge on the the south side of the lake, stopping where we wanted and taking as long as we wanted. By the time we got to the lodge, it was noon or shortly after and the whole area on that side of the lake was wall-to-wall with busloads of Asian tourists. We could not get out of that area fast enough to find a place to have lunch, sandwiches that I had made at home the night before. Ultimately, we pulled off the side of the road and consumed our sandwiches, perched upon a large rock.

Soon after lunch, we got back in the car and headed down the mountain toward highway 62 that would take us west to the Rogue River. On reflecting on the experience, I don’t feel the need to go back to Crater Lake in the summer. If perhaps a snowshoe expedition in the winter offered itself to me, I'd be pretty gung ho about that. I guess what I am saying is that for me, Crater Lake is a one-and-done thing. Now that it is ticked off my list, I do not need to go back, unlike to Grand Canyon, Yosemite, or Yellowstone to which I would very much like to return.