Crater Lake

Day 51 - 295 Miles

We decided to meet at Diamond Lake about 7 miles north of the Crater Lake National Park. Kip got there first and discovered it was the equivalent of Collier-Seminole Park in Florida, mosquito heaven. Not as hot but just as thick with them. I noticed it too, having arrived just a bit later. I stopped the bike to phone him and the mosquitos found me within 10 seconds.

So we didn't cruise the Diamond Lake area and headed on to Crater Lake. Higher, colder, and the water is further away, down in the crater, and not so many mosquitos. That and keeping the bikes moving made for a really pleasent tour.





I'd been before, but it was much colder, the snow banks much higher, and the full loop was closed. So I was very happy to see that the whole park was open and available.

Here's some of that White Dirt...



Wizard Island. (Gotta love that!)



A variety of views of the crater.











Scott Mountain



The Pumice Castle, a welded plume of fallen pumice ash.



The Phantom Ship, a remnant of a later cone within the larger original crater. This mini-cone is dated as 400,000 years old.





One of the many waterfalls from the crater rim.





We stopped in Rim City to grab lunch and were apalled at the prices. The park services really need to revise how they award concession rights. This was ridiculous. We opted for a very simple meal of chili. But based on the prices we saw, this one man bought lunch for himself and his son and had to have spent $45 dollars on it... for TWO. and it wasn't even "Subway" quality.

We decided to head down to Medford early rather than camp at the park, because we figured just eating would be more expensive than a motel... and we have a back yard available waiting for us in town. It will just be hotter.

The ride down the Rogue River to Medford was as beautiful as my ride up from the valley along the Umpqua. And it was indeed as hot as we expected, but by the time we arrived and set up the tents, it was already cooling down.



Total Miles: 14,827