Crater Lake (Oregon)

Saturday, 30.06.

Today we have been on the road for 2 weeks. We start at 8.45am, the farewell is not very difficult here... We drive along Diamond Lake to the south towards Crater Lake National Park under overcast skies and relatively mild temperatures. The entrance fee is $10 and we initially drive to the first viewpoint, which already offers a stunning view of the lake. The second viewpoint is just as breathtaking. Even at almost 2,500 meters above sea level, there is still snow at the end of June, and the 53 km long trail around the lake is unfortunately not passable on the east side as it has not been cleared yet.

Wizzard Island

Crater Lake Lodge

We reach Crater Lake Lodge at 10:00 am, which is beautifully situated above the lake. The sun terrace would be fantastic if it were warmer, but we manage to find a table inside the beautiful restaurant for breakfast and look out the windows at the lake.

Wizard Island in Crater Lake

A major renovation in 1992 saved this historic building, and the lobby, restaurant, and furniture are beautiful. The breakfast is great and our waiter tells us that they expect a thunderstorm, which is why you can't visit Wizard Island today. The sky does indeed change from gray to dark gray and then to almost black. But here on the south side of the lake, it is not really very cold (compared to what we have experienced on the coast when the wind was blowing).

After a really good breakfast with really good coffee and equally good service, we enjoy the view from the hotel terrace before driving north along the west coast of the lake.

At the Crater Lake Visitor Center, we watch a film about the history of the lake, which is revered by the Indians and has been mentioned in their legends for over 7,000 years. An American, William Gladstone Steel, read a newspaper article about the discovery of the lake when he was 15 years old in 1870. His sandwich was wrapped in the newspaper, and the story fascinated him so much that he dedicated his life and fortune to this lake. Many of the names of specific points here are named by him. It was only under Teddy Roosevelt that he managed to make the region a National Park in 1902.

The film also shows how extensive the clearing of the immense snow masses is in the spring. The Crater Lake Lodge, where we had breakfast, is open at best from May to September 23rd. In the lobby, we saw a photo album with pictures from June 12, 2011, when the snow reached the top of the backrests of the terrace chairs. We can be glad that it is better today. Our waitress also reported that the weather has been extremely bad in the last two weeks, and many people have had accidents on the road up here. Yikes! We are really lucky!

The Rim Drive leads significantly above the lake level around Crater Lake. There is a path to the only boat dock that descends about 1.8 km in switchbacks to the water level. The water temperature is 3 degrees Celsius! The perspective down there would certainly be different and new, but we decide not to take this hike because there is nothing down there except for a dock.

Phantom Ship Island

From the last possible viewpoint on the Rim Drive, we see Phantom Ship Island, the second island in Crater Lake, estimated to be about 400,000 years old. Now a freezing wind is blowing on the lookout, and we slowly drive back to the park exit. Once again, we are horrified by the number of sick pine trees standing next to the road, often without needles and with black trunks or red needles with thick swellings on the trunks. A parasite has already destroyed 25% of the pine trees here. Another 25% are already infested. It looks creepy, but there are also young trees that we can hope have antibodies against this parasite.

Suddenly, the forest opens up to a barren, rocky plain, the Pumice Desert. It was formed from the ash ejected by Mount Mazama, whose crater is Crater Lake.

Pumice Desert

As the road leads through the forest again a short time later, it starts to rain again.

Since we are early, we decide to drive to Bend and check out the motel in La Pine and maybe skip it. That was a good decision! The motel is populated by Mexican workers who are all squatting in front of their rooms and staring at us.

No, not at all! We don't want to stay here!

In addition, the motel is practically part of a Shell gas station right on the highway. The room we look at is clean, but I ask if we can cancel the reservation since it is unimaginable for us to be here for even a minute, let alone stay overnight. The man, who is both the motel owner and gas station attendant, lets us out of the contract and we continue on relieved. But now we are hit by a torrential downpour that accompanies us for the next 40 km to Bend. We find a freshly renovated Motel6 in Bend for $71 and check in.

Bend, Oregon

We drive to downtown Bend by car, walk around a bit, and go to the Dechute River, which flows through the city. The town has 80,000 inhabitants and is very well-maintained, tidy, and has beautiful green spaces. In the Old Mill District, a kind of shopping mile with restaurants and small boutiques, has been created.

Bend

We reserve a table at Greg's Grill for 7:30 pm and stroll around the shops for an hour and of course do some shopping again. It is now dry and sunny towards the evening, and we have great steaks with a view of the sunset and Dechute River.

I enjoy a Twilight beer that I already had in Portland at the brewery. In the twilight, we walk along the river and in a large curve back to the car.

Quickly to Safeway and at 10:20 pm we are in the hotel. Writing postcards, cleaning the camera, writing in the diary, and off to bed.

Distance traveled: 164 miles