I left the hotel with the mercury exactly at 0C/32F. And as I drove up to the rim of Crater lake on that cold dawn, I saw the needle dropping further and further, finally settling at -9C/16F. I was hoping it wouldn't get any colder as I wasn't even prepared for subzero temperatures.

But it did. As I stepped out into the biting cold, I felt a freezing wind gush from the depths of the lake up the snow-covered slopes onto the icy pavement. Even with all my layers on, I was chilled to the bone. My fingers froze in an instant, despite two layers of gloves. And for this pain, all I got to see was a thick layer of fog streaming over the entire surface of the lake, reducing visibility to mere feet.

And so I waited, hoping for the rising sun to push the fog away and reveal a glorious sunrise. But it wasn't to be. Instead, the fog lifted off a small portion of the lake, revealing a patch of bright light on an otherwise gloomy grey vista.

Some days, you are lucky, and some days you aren't. Today wasn't one of those, but unless you try, you never know.

Crater Lake National Park
OR USA