My family and I recently returned home from a cross-country trip for a wedding. We travelled to Ashland, Oregon and spent a week sampling the culture and coffee of the area – but were able to take one road trip to a destination which has always fascinated me, Crater Lake National Park.
The park was about a two and a half hour ride from our home-base, through some of the most scenic landscape I have ever seen, completed on a road which winds it's way up the side of a mountain to an elevation of about 7000 feet. That's nearly 1000 feet above Mount Washington, the highest point on the eastern seaboard. The climatic differences between East and West mean that the rim of the crater where Crater Lake lies is well-below the tree-line. The lake itself is anywhere between 500 and 1000 feet below the top of the rim-wall. “Crater” is a mis-nomer, as the lake resides in the calera of previous volcanic erruption which occurred nearly 7700 years ago. The most notable feature in the lake, Wizard Island, is the result of the extended lava plumes which continued to occur after the main erruption. There are several of these plumes in the lake, but Wizard Island is the only one which manages to break the surface of the water.
The lake itself is a marvel. There are no glaciers or rivers which feed it, nor are there any outlets for the water other than some underground seepage and evaporation. Yet, the lake exists in a remarkable equilibrium, changing it's level only about three feet from year to year. It's water level is only replinished by the massive snow-fall which occurs during it's 10 month winter – snowfall which can accumulate up to 50 feet.
The water of the lake is Turquoise, and it's color comes not from a reflection of the sky, but from the clarity of the water. The water is so clear lights able to penetrate to points at which only the blue wavelengths are not absorbed or scattered. The surface of the lake is at an astonishing 6173 feet, and on an average day the clarity of the water allows visitors to see between 50 and100 feet below the surface of the water – deeper then anywhere else on earth. The record depth for light penetration is an astonishing 150 feet. At 1932 feet deep, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in The United States*.
My first view of the Lake left me dazed. The color of the water and the immensity of the caldera are shocking. As a Christian I felt confronted by the terrible power and beauty of the God who created all things and dwarfed by the wonder of nature. We people too often assume we have mastered the power of nature – but even one glance at Crater Lake leaves renders that assumption nothing more than dust. There is nothing we can create that could ever be as awesome, nor any structure we could build which could protect us from, the forces which violently created the landscape. The snow alone is too much to keep the road open for much of the year!
Other than being able to preside over the wedding of my brother-in-law to my new sister-in-law, my visit to Crater Lake was the highpoint of our journey. Sometime soon I will have to book at room at the Crater Lake Lodge, and spend a week exploring the wonders of that landscape. I want to at least put my feet in the water (if not take a dip), climb to the top of wizard island, take a boat ride around the lake, and let the trolly drop me off all around rim drive at different trails just so I can see this wonder from every possible angle.
My advice to people is to forget amusement parks, cruise ships, and even the beach. If you have the time and inclination to do a “once in a lifetime” trip book some rooms at Crater Lake and become blessedly dazed and amused.
*My sincere thanks to the park superintendent of Crater Lake National Park, Craig Ackerman, for corrections on the some features of the lake.
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Thanks for a great commentary on Crater Lake National Park! The post contains a couple of small misconceptions which need to be cleared up. Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States. Great Slave Lake in Canada is the deepest lake in North America at 2,010 feet. The color of the Crater Lake is attributable not to algae but the clarity and purity of the water itself. Light penetrates so deeply into the water that all of the colors of the visible spectrum are absorbed or scattered, with the exception of the blue wavelength, which is reflected back up to be seen as the brilliant color noticeable on most days. Indeed the water is so clear that UV radiation prevents alage or most other organisms from surviving within several feet of the lake’s surface. That leads to the world record clarity of the water itself – which has actually been measured to 140 feet, not 50. Most days the water clarity is between 50 and 100 feet.
I’m pleased that you enjoyed this unique and wondrous place that has been set aside for the enjoyment of all people for generations to come. We look forward to your return visit.
Craig Ackerman
Park Superintendent
My apologies for the misconceptions – I will edit the post with thanks to you. We had purchased a book at the park and I thought I had read about the color. I am mistaken.
The park, is like sitting in the lap of awe.
I am reminded of our trip to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. In Las Vegas, the triumphs of man are displayed, spectacular architecture, light shows, water fountains and art work. Then we stood on the rim of the Grand Canyon, and everything that man has ever done did not come close in comparison. I cannot even describe the color show on the walls of the canyon at sunset, or the massiveness of the expanse. Now you know why we usually chose to camp for vacation; God’s amazing creation reminds us of the artistry of this world we are a part of.
Cathi