Visit Crater Lake, Oregon

One of the places I was looking forward to seeing on a trip to the Pacific Northwest region of the United States was Crater Lake, located in south-central Oregon, about 80 miles from Medford.

As my wife and I were planning our trip, Crater Lake was one of the "must see" stops on our itinerary. We had seen a picture of the lake on the front cover of one of the travel guides we used to plan the trip. On our trip, we stopped in Portland, Oregon, to see my niece and her friend. When we mentioned that we were going to stop at Crater Lake, my niece's friend whipped out his cell phone and showed us a picture of Crater Lake that he had saved on his phone. From all accounts, Crater Lake was a beautiful spot that we had to see.

So it turned out to be. After our trip was over, my wife and I were comparing notes on what our favorite stop on the trip was. For me, it was Crater Lake.

What makes the lake even more special is the knowledge that it was formed as a result of volcanic action. Indeed, there is a sign in the visitor center that says plainly, "You are inside a volcano!"

The origin of Crater Lake goes back to the eruption of a volcano that is now referred to as Mount Mazama. No one knows for sure when Mazama erupted, but the current guess is that it happened in 5700 B.C. For helpful information about Crater Lake, see Volcanoes in America's National Park by Robert and Barbara Decker. (See below for reference information). Native American legends have perpetuated stories of the great natural disturbances that rocked the area. For the Native Americans, Crater Lake has been and remains a sacred spot. Ironically, as David Louter points out in an essay in Oregon Historical Quarterly (See below for reference information), the National Park Service, in an effort to preserve Crater Lake as a wilderness area, removed the Native Americans from the park, thereby severing the long relationship between the park and the Native Americans and also distorting the "natural" environment that resulted from the presence of the Native Americans.

Scientists estimate that the eruption of Mount Mazama was 100 times greater than the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1980 (Decker, page 148). As a result of the eruption, a great pit was created in the area from which the lava and other volcanic materials had come. Cliffs-some as high as 3000 feet-surrounded the pit. As the centuries passed, rain and melting snow filled the pit. A lake-Crater Lake-was created. As the park ranger summarized the long process, the volcano GREW, then it BLEW, then it FELL, and, finally, it FILLED.

In the years after the great eruption of Mazama, there was other volcanic action, some of which led to the creation of an island in the middle of Crater Lake. The island is called "Wizard Island" because its shape resembles a wizard's hat.

Crater Lake is approximately 1900 feet deep at its deepest point, making it the deepest lake in the United States. To help us get some perspective on how deep 1900 feet is, the ranger told us to think of putting the Eiffel Tower into Crater Lake. On top of that, put the Washington Monument. Then add the Statue of Liberty. Even then, there will still be 100 feet of water above the statue's torch.

Crater Lake is a clear lake, with visibility going down 140 feet. The ranger told us that the lake contains enough water to provide 750 gallons to every person in the world. The most striking thing about Crater Lake is its deep blue color.

While the lake's color was striking, a comment by the ranger was sobering. She noted that the National Park Service no longer talks about dormant volcanoes, but rather sleeping volcanoes that could awaken at any time. Keep that in mind the next time you are standing inside a volcano!

When will Mount Mazama erupt again? No one knows, of course, but scientists have discovered warm springs on the floor of Crater Lake, an indication that, indeed, the volcano is only sleeping. That does not mean that you should rush out and make your plans today to visit Crater Lake. It does mean that someday the lake may be gone.

Sources:

Robert and Barbara Decker, Volcanoes in America's National Parks (Hong Kong: Odyssey Books, 2007), 144-57.

David Louter, "Water Like Sky: Reflections on Crater Lake National Park at One Hundred Years (Porland, OR: Oregon Historical Quarterly, Spring 2002), 10.