Crater Lake National Park is located in Southern Oregon whose primary feature is
Crater Lake. It was established on May 22, 1902 as the fifth National Park in the USA.
The park encompasses Crater Lake's caldera, which rests in the remains of a destroyed
volcano posthumously called Mount Mazama. It is the only National Park in Oregon.
The lake is 1,949 feet (594m) deep at its deepest point which makes it the deepest
lake in the United States, second in North America, and according to Wikipedia's list
of lakes by depth, the ninth deepest anywhere in the world. However, when comparing its
average depth of 1148 feet (350 m) to the average depth of other deep lakes, Crater Lake
becomes the deepest in the Western Hemisphere and the third deepest in the world. The
impressive average depth of this volcanic lake is due to the nearly symmetrical 4000 foot
(1220 m) deep caldera formed 7,700 years ago during the violent climactic eruptions and
subsequent collapse of Mt. Mazama and the relatively moist climate that is typical of the
crest of the Cascade Mountains.
The caldera rim ranges in elevation from 7000 to 8000 feet (2100 to 2400 m). The USGS benchmarked elevation
of the lake surface itself is 6178 ft (1883 m). The park covers 286 mi˛ (741 km˛). Crater Lake has no streams
flowing into or out of it. The lake's water regularly has a striking blue hue. The lake is filled entirely from
direct precipitation in the form of snow and rain. All water that enters the lake is eventually lost from
evaporation or subsurface seepage.
Holy crap, it's a lot of snow !!
The plan is to go around the Rim Drive on ski in 3 - 4 days during late April or early May, where there is still
plenty of snow on the ground. Total distance is about 33 miles. The reason to go in Apr/May is to enjoy the Spring
snow, where motorized vehicles are not yet allowed at that time. However, it means we will need to carry our winter
camping gear and skis. But it is unbelievably beautiful, don't you think ?
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