Day 10: Crater Lake

We decided to take a detour to Crater Lake before visiting my (Jenny’s) parents in California. Crater Lake is a national park and dogs are not allowed on the trails, so we decided to do just two shorts hikes so Lucy wouldn’t have to be in the car for long on such a warm day.

The first hike was to a lookout point, but unknown to us, it had a fire tower!! Chandler and I have tried to hike to fire towers before, only to find them not there or destroyed. Finally success! Fire Tower Tour 2012!!!!!

The second hike was down 700′ to the lake. Chandler wanted to swim. I was recovering from a head cold and opted out, plus I am a wuss.
Here is Chandler “swimming”.

This was a very beautiful area to visit with really neat roadside geology. Here is a picture of some fumarole things. They were formed by gasses passing up through deep layers of glowing volcanic ash avalanches. Minerals in the gasses hardened columns within the debris which were then revealed after a creek eroded a channel and eventually a canyon through the volcanic material. I read that on an interpretive sign, so I’m kind of an expert.