Oregon: Crater Lake, Pinnacles

While on the East Rim Drive, we journeyed out on the six mile drive to The Pinnacles Overlook. These 100 foot spires are fossil fumaroles. They are the result of volcanic gas rising through volcanic ash, fusing it. As the rest of the ash eroded away, the pinnacles remained. Many of them are hollow. No hiking is required as the pinnacles can be seen just a few feet from the parking lot. We did go out on the Pinnacles Trail to get more views. The trail ended at the park boundary. The beginnings of pinnacles can be seen leaving the park to the south, as the last photo shows.

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.

Oregon: Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge

As we drove west toward Crater Lake, we went through the huge Klamath Marsh, about 40,000 acres of wetlands and wet meadows. Mt. Scott, next to Crater Lake, is in the distance.

We had talked to a USGS fellow earlier who told us central Oregon had plenty of water. I can see why.

This last photo is from a little further east and gives an idea of the farmland in the area.

Oregon: Fort Rock

I had read about this National Natural Landmark so we took a detour southeast to see it.

It was odd to see this extinct volcano rising from Oregon's flat high desert.

It is an old tuff ring created by volcanic action and set in what was a shallow lake in prehistoric times. The rock walls are 325 feet high.

Sandals were found in a nearby cave that date back 9,000 years so early Americans were in the area and may have canoed to what would have been an island at that time.

You can go here to see what the rock looks like from above.

Oregon: Newberry National Volcanic Monument

This national monument, just a few miles south of Bend, was formed in 1990 to protect the area around the Newberry Volcano.

The extent of the lava field can be seen from Lava Butte, a 500 foot cinder cone with a total elevation of 5020 feet.

The area is large and includes lakes and a cave.

Oregon: Pilot Butte at Bend

As we left Bend heading south, we drove up Pilot Butte. To the northwest we saw Jefferson and Hood.

To the west were Bachelor, Broken Top, and the Sisters.

While we drove up, there were many locals taking their morning hike to the top.

Oregon: Ray Atkeson Memorial Trail

We hiked on the Ray Atkeson Memorial Trail near Sparks Lake.

We had some great views of South Sister

and Broken Top.

The trail meanders through lava flows and lodgepole pine forests. We were surprised that there were no views of Mt. Bachelor. The first half mile is paved and offers the best views. The rest of the trail system is in the forest and has no mountain views. Atkeson was Oregon's long time photographer Laureate.