THE MAGNIFICENT VISTAS OF THE MIGHTY CRATER LAKE

View of Mt. Shasta along the way.
Please click on photo above to see the complete set of pictures. 

An early start for the day. Leaving the quaint town of Jacksonville, near Medford, Oregon. Picturesque countryside before taking on one sweeping curve that deserved another through the mountains leading to Crater Lake. Stopping at The Rogue Gorge - watching milky white waters gushing through 'The Chasm' down the mountain was a sight to behold.

One of natural wonders of the world, the Crater Lake is a caldera in the western United States, located in south-central Oregon. It lies about 128 kilometres driving distance, north by north-west of Medford city. It is the main feature of Crater Lake National Park and is famous for its deep blue color and water clarity.

 The lake partly fills a nearly 2,148-foot (655 m)-deep caldera that is believed to have been formed around 7,700 years ago by the collapse of the volcano Mount Mazama.

There are no rivers flowing into or out of the lake. It is the deepest in the United States, and one of the deepest in the world.

Crater Lake is also known for the "Old Man of the Lake", a full-sized tree which is now a stump that has apparently been bobbing vertically in the lake for over a century. The low temperature of the water has slowed the decomposition of the wood, hence the longevity of the bobbing tree.

A winding road runs almost right on the rim and around the entire crater giving the viewer a panoramic and breathtaking views of both the lake and the mountains surrounding it. 

Two islands are in Crater Lake; Wizard Island formed from a cinder cone that erupted after Crater Lake began to fill with water, and the smaller Phantom Ship has seven different trees living on it.

I was lucky for having been able to be at a vantage point to capture a boat cruise around the 'phantom ship' in the lake at the right and very moment we stopped at a vista location.

Thanks to Shawn for stopping at all the vista points and Denise for having created this extraordinary adventure for us, where the magnificent views were an excellent treat for me and my camera.