Oregon: Crater Lake

Yes, it really is that blue. The lake is 1,943 feet deep at the deepest point, so deep that the other colors of the spectrum are absorbed and blue scattered.

The lake was formed when Mount Mazama erupted about 7,700 years ago. The mountain collapsed, forming the deep caldera where a snow capped mountain once stood. We drove around the entire lake, about 33 miles. At an overlook, we got a good view of the "phantom ship."

We were not all that impressed with the East Rim Drive. We were away from the lake edge much of the time and the views were not as spectacular as from the West Rim Drive.