Today we got to the fifth National Park on trail, Crater Lake. After stopping at Mazama Village for a burger, I hiked on. The official PCT doesn't actually go close enough to the lake to see it, but there is a practically compulsory alternate that goes around the west side of the rim. The view after climbing up the side of the now dormant volcano is astounding. Over the years rainwater has filled the crater and since there are no other ways for water to enter, the water has very little particulate matter. Another reason it's so stunning is that the lake is the deepest in America which makes the water almost unbelievably blue due to the scattering of light. I got to the rim as the sun was setting, so the water that was in shade already took my breath away because of how blue it was. Seriously, I can't get over the blueness. If aliens came and I were tasked with defining the color blue to them I would just show them Crater Lake. As the sun set more, the opposite walls became pink and the reflection in the lake had an iridescent effect like an oil spill. As I rounded a corner, all of a sudden the full moon was visible above the peak opposite the lake.
Steps taken today/total: 51,727/3,878,095
Miles walked today/total: 27.83/1,820.53
Elevation gained today/total: 3,457/317,052
Elevation lost today/total: 3,160/321,306
So pretty!
ReplyDelete