Crater Lake Yoi, Double Yoi!!!

We have moved on and are staying at the Diamond Lake Campground in the Umpqua National Forest near Crater Lake National Park. We are dry camping and it is the first time we have used my government senior pass so the cost is only $6.00 a night for a site overlooking the lake which we can see as we sit at our kitchen table. The weather has been good with clear warm days that lead to clear "cold" nights. It was in the 30's on two mornings. I did do a little fishing with no luck but the reason we stayed here was to go to Crater Lake which is only about six miles away.Crater Lake is the result of the eruption and collapse of Mount Mazama, a 12,000 foot volcano, 7,700 years ago. All the water in the six mile long, four mile wide, 1943 foot deep caldera is from snow melt and rain. There are no streams flowing into the lake so the water is so clean you can drink it, which we did. Because of its depth, the deepest in the US, and water purity the color is unbelievable. There are deep, deep blues and shades of green in the shallower areas. One day was nothing but blue skies which really highlights the color of the water. The second day was a little cloudy but it was still beautiful.

The park service web site says Crater Lake - Like No Place On Earth. We have to agree.

The sky in the west is generally a unique blue until it is seen next to the water of this lake. This one and the next couple pictures are from the rim that is accessible on a 33 mile drive with numerous pullouts. This allows for easy access and gives you a large variety of views.

The orange rock is Pumice Castle, a column of rock that is different than the surrounding rock because of the way it interacted with the air during an eruption.
This is Wizard Island the cone of an extinct volcano within a dormant volcano that rises 700 feet above the lake. We took a boat tour that dropped us on the island for three hours so we could climb to the top and then down 90 feet to the bottom of the crater. The island is totally covered with rocks from ancient eruptions. It was fantastic to spend the day on the water and island that is inside the dormant volcano of Mount Mazama. The high point in the background is Mount Scott that was named for Nanc's ancestors:-):-)
Here are some of the things we saw from the boat. Bottom left: Phantom Ship, the second largest island. Top left: The old man of the lake is a 35 foot long log that has been floating upright in the lake for over 100 years. Center: The Devils Backbone, a column of magma that is stronger than the surrounding rock that has eroded away. Top right: A waterfall from snow melt and beautiful green water. Bottom left: A patch of snow from last winter. It will soon be covered with fresh snow.
Can you tell we loved this place? Top left: At the bottom of Cleetwood Cove Trail, the only access to the water. Top right: On the rim of the crater on Wizard Island. Bottom: Inside the crater on Wizard Island

This is looking down into the crater on Wizard Island and up to the rim of Crater Lake in the background. Nanc wanted to sacrifice me to the volcano gods but decided against it.

Some of the vast array of color we saw here.

The trees on the island are dying from a parasite, which could be a good thing since the view of the entire Crater Lake rim is not blocked. One of several forest fires we could see in the distance. When we got up on Saturday morning we could smell smoke in the campground, but by Sunday afternoon it appeared as if this fire was out