Crater Lake National Park was just a hop skip and jump from Redwood, relative to the overall distance we were driving. Having arrived at Crater lake with very little driving experience, I remember being afraid of even driving along the curvy rim road that winds around the massive crater. But my fear vanished as soon as I got the first sight of the massive crater.
For a big city kid, seeing a pristine lake as large as this, with a deep blue color quite unlike anything I had seen before, was a life-changing experience. I had never experienced anything of such scale, let alone a volcano whose crater had a 33-mile rim. That, coupled with the stark alpine scenery of the surrounding Cascades, made for an unforgettable first visit.
My second trip to this park was more than 16 years later in less than ideal weather conditions, but it was enough to spark the joy of being in this very unique National Park. This particular image, however, is one of my first attempts at a panorama from my first visit.
Crater Lake National Park
OR USA
Waiting for a Frozen Sun
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