In the afternoon, Lee and I (dressed in our hiking gear....yes girls, hiking gear!!!) made our way down the Cleetwood Cove Trail which is the only legal access to the shore of Crater Lake where we were catching a boat tour. For those of you out there who thought I was a wimp just read this information about this hike, and I quote...."The hike is steep and strenuous: in 1.1 miles the trail drops 700 feet in elevation. Walking back up is equivalent to climbing 65 FLIGHTS of stairs." I rest my case. We took the boat tour with Captain Mark and Ranger Stephanie who presented us with a great deal of information about Crater Lake and its surrounding cliffs. The lake has no inlet or outlet streams and is fed solely by springs, snowmelt, and rainfall. Evaporation and ground seepage keep the lake at a nearly constant level. We were able to get very close to Wizard Island with its steep volcanic cone (765 feet high). It was here that we were able to see just how clear the waters were. We learned about the three C's of Crater Lake; Clarity, Cleanliness, and Color. The water is so clean that you can actually drink directly from the lake. The color, of course, has to do with the light refraction( light gets absorbed color by color as it passes through clear water; the last to be absorbed are the blues; only the deepest blue gets scattered back to the surface), and the cleanliness has to do with nature's natural balance and human maintenance. Originally Crater Lake contained no fish. Between 1888 and 1941, however, 6 species were introduced. Today only two types remain: rainbow trout and kokanee salmon. Anyone who fishes at the Lake has to use lures; no live bait is allowed which can affect the ecological system. One of the pictures above, shows some remnants of snow left from the previous winter's snow fall. All in all, the two hour tour was relaxing and visually stunning. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. It was just perfect. I am glad to say that when we returned to shore, the temperature cooled down a bit and the trail back was a little more shaded. It was indeed quite laborious but I am proud to say that we made it. The picture is of me was taken after the hike back. Tt just goes to show you, anything is possible!!!
2 comments:
Wow! That hike sounds like quite the workout! The scenery looks beautiful. Nice to keep up with your travels through your blog. Thanks for sharing.
Linda, Thanks for writing such colorful accounts of your travels. Sounds like you are having a wonderful time - I hope that all your doubts are vague memories now. Looking forward to seeing you in Iowa someday!
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