Crater Lake National Park

From the first tire tracks on Highway 62, we were surrounded by 10 feet of snow. Thankfully, the roads are plowed daily.


We read about the snowplows at the park, but never expected to see one. Luckily, there was a gentleman working the plows, and he let us take some photos.




















This time of year, there is no entrance fee.


The entrance booth and most of the park buildings are covered in snow, and there are plywood tunnels to the bathrooms.








How do we begin to describe Crater Lake?



When we hiked over the rim near Rim Village, I was in awe. It is the most breathtaking view I've ever seen! The water was calm with a mirror image of the surrounding mountains. And Blue!!!!! I couldn't believe my eyes - or my senses. It is the prettiest place we've seen yet!






Some cool facts about winter conditions at Crater Lake from Reflections - the Crater Lake newspaper:

Average winter snowfall: 533 inches per year

The park's heavy equipment operators work from 4am-8pm, in 2 different shifts, to clear and sand the roads.

Snow plows were first used at Crater Lake in 1930. Prior to that, crews used shovels and dynamite to clear the roads each spring. Today, the park employs 6 operators and 2 mechanics who use both push plows and rotary plows. The rotary plows are equiped with a fan that can shoot snow 75-80 feet into the air. To control where the snow lands, the operator can vary the angle and volume of output.

The amount of snow moved each year by the park's road crew is astounding. With it, you could create a ski trail 3 feet wide and 6 inches deep, and long enough to circle the Earth at the equator!


And some other facts about Crater Lake itself:

The depth of Crater Lake was first measured in 1886 with a simple sounding machine that consisted of a crank and a spool of piano wire. Those first measurements showed the lake to be 1,996 feet deep - not far off from the depth of 1,943 feet that was measured with high tech equipment in 2000!

There are no inlets or outlets to the lake, but it is filled with the annual snow melt. Crater Lake is the seventh deepest lake in the world and the deepest in the United States. Evaporation and seepage prevent the lake from becoming any deeper.


We were so caught in our fascination of Crater Lake that we arrived late in California

Here are some views on our way to McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park...
































The view of Mt. Shasta from Highway 97 - Amazing!

And here are the views at McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park.

Even though we arrived late, we were in bed in record time. We set-up the tent, brushed our teeth, and were zipped in our sleeping bags in 20 minutes!