2005-09-30: Vidae Falls
The trip from Sunriver to Mazama campground was short so we decided to do some exploring today. Vidae Falls was still flowing though not as much as we remembered from previous trips.
2005-09-30: Phantom Ship
At first glance this cluster of jagged rock looks like a ghostly ship with tall masts and drooping sails. It is actually a remnant of an ancient volcano called Phantom Cone and is the oldest exposed rocks in the Crater Lake caldera. Just being able to see this formation makes a trip to Crater Lake worthwhile.
2005-09-30: Hoodoos
When Mt. Mazama erupted, torrents of red-hot, gas-charged pumice poured down the slopes. On top of this came a flow of heavier rocks called scoria. Streams have eroded this canyon exposing these pinnacles many of which are hollow. It was amazing to be able to see where the pumice (tan) ends and the scoria (grey) begins.
2005-09-30: Our Site
What an incredible campsite we have here at Mazama campground.
2005-10-01: Where Is The Lake?
We woke up to a rainy day but decided to head up to the lake on the west side and see how it looked in inclement weather. As we went from our campground at 6000 feet to the lake at 7000 feet we drove into the clouds. This reminded us of the day we went to Mt. Rainier! Needless to say, we never saw the lake today. What a change from the sunny day we had yesterday.
2005-10-01: Snow
We had snow during the afternoon with temperatures in the high 30's. Around dinnertime we started to see some blue patches in the sky and the sun trying to break through so we decided another trip up the mountain to the lake was in order. We got about halfway there and found that the mountain was covered in snow and the road was closed. Oh well, another time!