Robert Francisco

Destination: Past Rim Drive
Starting Location: Crater Lake Trailhead Today’s Miles: 11.60
Trip Miles: 1843.10
Mazama (1830.4, 6108) to Past Rim Drive (1842.0, 7057) ascent (2690) descent (1660)

The Rim Trail around Crater Lake was a highlight of this trip & the PCT. What a beautiful lake – the blue is so blue it is hard to describe & Wizard Island, the volcano inside the caldera, is simply cool.
Met a motorcyclist on the rim who had come from Prudhoe Bay Alaska on his way home to Argentina. We said he was crazy and he returned the compliment.
I learned about a Bassoon from the Hippo who plays one. How cool is that. It has two reeds, is a woodwind, and is difficult to play. It also closely matches the range of the human voice.
We stopped at the Rim Lodge in our formal hiker wear. We ordered salads with candied walnuts & crumbled cheese along with seafood chowder. We ate on the deck and smiled broadly at everyone wearing expensive polo shirts who looked at us with distaste. It is our National Park also – maybe even more so.
go-BIG