Mt. Mazama- Crater Lake, Aug 5

We arrived at Crater Lake National Park on August 5th. The same morning we climbed Mt. Thielsen to get a good view of Crater Lake from the distance and to summit a mountain for fun.


Photo by Jared Birkholz


Photo by Jared Birkholz


Photo by Jared Birkholz


Photo by Jared Birkholz


Photo by Jared Birkholz


I had heard a lot of people talk about Crater Lake and its amazing beauty, so I was ready to see something extraordinary.

Francis and I climbed the nearby Mt. Thielsen to get a good look at the lake from above. When I got to the top of the mountain, I couldn't figure out where the crater was. Due to the forest fires there was a lot of haze and the visibility was poor. "It is right in front of you, how can you not see it," Francis said. "Yes, I can see it, but it is really not that great," I thought to myself. "What's the big deal?" All bummed I got off the mountain thinking Crater Lake was over rated.

When I finally arrived and stepped on the rim of Crater Lake, I was mesmerized by the beauty of its glimmering deep blue water - I couldn't take my eyes off of it for a long time. Crater Lake is like one of those places we see in fairy tales, places that only exist in our imagination.

Crater Lake used to be a volcano that the native Americans had named Mt. Mazama. 7,700 years ago it blew off its top and became a 600 meter deep lake. Today, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in America and the 7th deepest lake in the world.

What makes it so stunning is the deep blue color of the water. It is the bluest lake in America.





Wizard island

While Francis and I were waiting in a restaurant line to have all you can eat lunch, we met Ken and Nancy. They were so nice and gave us a ride to the post office where we picked up our next resupply package.





HIKER'S ULTIMATE FANTASY - SHOWER, BED, AND ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET

I have been trying to figure out what is the most valuable treat on the trail. What is it that really makes me go out of my way and make me run? There are three major things to choose from - all you can eat buffet, shower, and a bed. They may not sound much, but they are all extremely luxurious treats on the trail. First I thought it was a shower, but now I am convinced it is all you can eat buffet(AYCEB). AYCEB-s are the hottest topic after water sources among the hikers.

There is a AYCEB in Mazama village. We RAN there in the morning, and got there right before they were closing the breakfast buffet. There is nothing better than eating as much as you want and what ever you want without feeling quilty. That's one really good thing about thru hiking.

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