14.17 Crater Lake, a unique body of water, a phenomenon. 14.18 Mount Tipsoo, a strange name.
This is our third visit to the Crater Lake National Park. One cannot pass this way without stopping in for a quick 'hello'. Each time, the crater and its contents have had a dramatic impact on our senses. We hiked to the peak of Mount Scott and to the surface of the crater on the first two occasions. Today, after a tough week, we made it to Garfield Peak, a fairly steep climb although relatively short. However, the views of the lake exceeded our wildest expectations. The colors, we admit, look artificial. Nevertheless, anyone who has had the privilege to visit the park will attest to the accuracy. We were fortunate that we had full sun, some cloud and still waters. Reflections were enhanced further when clouds blocked the sun temporarily, causing a royal blue stain on the perfect surface. In addition, on the previous day, we had hiked up to the peak of Tipsoo, behind Mount Thielsen, which we observed from Garfield on this hike. It gave us perspective of another part ...