12 October 2016, Wednesday
Our objective for the day is to circumnavigate Crater Lake (by car) and stop at all the major overlooks. We begin at Sun Notch, at about 5:00 if Crater Lake were a clock face. Here the sun shines brightly on the Phantom Ship, one of the oldest rock formations in the park at 400,000 years of age. It was uncovered after the implosion and is composed of very hard lava. The blue of the surrounding water is indescribable. I’m hoping at least one of my photos captures it.
From Sun Notch it’s on to another Phantom Ship overlook and then to Sentinel Rock and Pumice Castle, a rock formation of orange pumice eroded to look like a medieval castle. We continue around to Skell Head where we read that Skell, spirit chief of the above world, and Llao, spirit chief of the below world, battled here because of Llao’s unrequited love for Skell’s daughter. It was this battle that resulted in the collapse of Mt. Mazuma. Amazing that the story has been passed down over the 7700 years since the cataclysm.
From Skell Head we continue our journey around counter clockwise past Llao Rock and past Watchman’s Point, where we hiked last night. We stop again at the visitor center so O can ask more questions while I journal. His questions, of course, result in the purchase of yet another geology book. We return to camp for dinner as the sun sets and afterwards have a pleasant chat with a couple from British Columbia with whom we compare notes on our travels. Tomorrow wet weather will be moving in. Rain is forecast for early morning. We will be on the road to the town of Ontario on the western border of Oregon.