Saturday, July 11, 2009

Crater Lake National Park

July 9th was an absolutely wonderful day. It is always an adventure when we go exploring country that we have not seen before. My older brother Rick and his better half Teri were here so we used that as a real good opportunity to see something new. In this case it was Crater Lake National Park. We packed up and headed out, The drive to the Park is a nice drive with lots of great scenery. We started around the rim drive asking each other when do we get to see the Lake? Well we soon found out and what a treat it was. I have never seen water so deep blue before. We managed to stop at almost every pullout going around the Lake. The view of the Lake is different at every pullout. Some fantastic vistas that will never be forgotten.
If you have never been to the Park put it on your list of must sees.

This is from the National Parks Website
Crater Lake - Like No Place Else on Earth
Crater Lake has inspired people for hundreds of years. No place else on earth combines a deep, pure lake, so blue in color; sheer surrounding cliffs, almost two thousand feet high; two picturesque islands; and a violent volcanic past. It is a place of immeasurable beauty, and an outstanding outdoor laboratory and classroom.
Crater Lake is located in Southern Oregon on the crest of the Cascade Mountain range, 100 miles (160 km) east of the Pacific Ocean. It lies inside a caldera, or volcanic basin, created when the 12,000 foot (3,660 meter) high Mount Mazama collapsed 7,700 years ago following a large eruption.
Generous amounts of winter snow, averaging 533 inches (1,354 cm) per year, supply the lake with water. There are no inlets or outlets to the lake. Crater Lake, at 1,943 feet (592 meters) deep, 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.



Sunday, July 5, 2009

Quick Trip

A friend from Alaska called Vicki last Tuesday. She was in Alturas, CA. and was going to be there for several days. Since I was off work Wednesday and Thursday we decided to go visit her. We packed up the Kitties and headed out. The drive over was very nice, scenic for most of the trip. Stayed at the Essex Motel. It was old but clean. had a comfortable bed.
Donna was staying at her brothers house Bill & Molly, they lived about 10 miles out of town. We went out and visited and had dinner with them. Had a great time. Thanks again Bill and Molly for your hospitality, it was great to meet you.

Just like a lot of small towns Alturas had a museum so had to stop and look. Lots of local history and one of the largest collections of arrowheads I have ever seen. Picture of arrowheads below is just a small sample of what they actually had. Entrance fee was $2.00 and well worth it. If you get through this area stop and enjoy the Museum.