Crater Lake is the only national park in Oregon and the first one created (1902) by President Theodore Roosevelt. We don’t get up there as often as we should. Today’s gloriously clear and warm autumnal weather (which is forecast to soon change) shamed us in to paying it a visit. Doing so also seemed in keeping with our earlier TR themed trip. Some of the park’s facilities are now closed for the season but the lodge is still open (until October 13th), so we drove up and had lunch there.

Then we did the short (3.4 miles round-trip; 1,000 feet of gain), view-intensive hike to the summit of nearby Garfield Peak. Smoke from prescribed burns clouded the view to the south but views in all other directions were wide open. The LovedOne kept saying “It’s so blue, it’s so blue…” and we were again enthralled by this lake. It was truly an excellent day to be outside and here. 😀

Garfield Peak from the lodge parking lot
Starting up the Garfield Peak Trail
Crater Lake, with pointy Mount Thielsen on the horizon
Looking southwest from near the summit: (M) Mount McLoughlin, (A) Mount Ashland, (R) Red Buttes, (U) Union Peak
Northwest from the summit: (W.) The Watchman, (B) Mount Bailey, (L) Llao Rock, (D) Diamond Peak, (T) Mount Thielsen, (H) Howlock Mountain, (C) Timber Crater, (Z) Wizard Island
North from the summit: The intensely blue lake with Mount Thielsen on the horizon
Northeast from the summit: Mount Scott and the Phantom Ship
One of the locals views the Old Man of the Lake (arrow)
Heading back
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