Rim Drive (and the North Entrance) in Crater Lake National Park close for the season if it snows enough or when November 1st rolls around. There hasn’t been any meaningful snow yet (or much rain for that matter). Regardless, the clock is still ticking and we wanted to get in one more hike in the park’s interior before the Rim closes. For that we picked a climb of Red Cone, another of the 40 cinder cones and shield volcanoes in the vicinity of the Crater Lake caldera. The Cone rises just northwest of the lake on the southern edge of the Pumice Desert. It’s easily reached via a ramble on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and a bit of steep cross-country up one of its sides (we went with the southeast side).
We’re well past tourist season in a year that has not been kind to tourism in general. But, while traffic on the park’s roads seemed light, there were a lot of cars parked at the various overlooks for the lake. It appears that the desire for a roadtrip, or at least a view, cannot be quenched, even by the Big V. But we were the only ones at the parking lot (no amenities) where the PCT crosses the North Entrance Road.
After going a mile west on the PCT we went southwest into a forest with remarkably little undergrowth for one that hasn’t been burned. That may have something to do with the exceptionally well-drained soils in this area. It may not have snowed (yet) but it’s been cold enough up here to force ice crystals out of the ground in several places.
The climb up the Cone’s southeast side started after a brief stint in the forest. The climb was steep (1,000 feet in under a mile / 300 m in 1.5 km) but, if we were careful with route selection, not the scree-fest it looked like from a distance.
We reached the edge of the crater, circled around it, and did a little more climbing to reach the summit. The views to the east and southeast were encumbered by the sun but the views elsewhere were great. We enjoy climbing these cones because, weather permitting, each gives us a different perspective on the park.
After a snack on the summit, we descended essentially the way we’d come up but veered more to the south to pass through some meadows on the Cone’s lower southeast ridge.
Despite some pesky high clouds that came and went, it was otherwise a crisp, clear day for a hike. A good breeze across the summit kept the fleece in play. It finally felt like Fall. This is a steep but otherwise easy hike (4.4 miles (7.1 km), with 1,100 feet (335 m) of gain, half on-trail and half off. This makes Red Cone one of the most accessible backcountry cones in the park and one well worth climbing for the views! 😀
BOOTS on the TRAIL 
There are a lot of wonderful places to see in the U.S. beyond the famous ones that frequently appear on Instagram. Even in our most popular national parks, there are always places to go that aren’t crowded. By all means get some good maps and go exploring! 🙂
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I notice that Im not alone in wanting to get to the top to enjoy the view. The feeling when looking out over the landscape almost always makes the climb worth it 🙂
And I will have to read up on my US geography, there are so many areas with an amazing landscape and it is sometimes quite boring just to know about the famous ones 🙂
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Thanks for giving it a go. You go a mile from the road at Crater Lake and the crowds vanish! Glad you enjoyed the view. To the south, many trees killed by fire and, to the north, about half of the trees dead from disease or drought.
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Hiked your route yesterday, we were the only ones out there. I must say the cone is quite steep and difficult to maneuver, but we made it. Pretty sure we saw your footprints higher up on our trek. Quite a view from the top. So many burnt trees! Thanks for posting your adventure.
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Well, no, not exactly. SOBO = SOuth BOund on the PCT. Although you & I have certainly been on some trips where thunder & wind featured all too prominently. 🙄
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Sobo
Sobo is a spirit or loa in Haitian Vodou. He is the loa of thunder and is always depicted and served with his inseparable companion/brother Bade, who is the loa of wind. Together they are represented by the Catholic image of Saints Cosmas and Damian. He is probably West African in origin and a flaming ram is his symbol.
I didn’t know you guys were into Haitian Voodoo.
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