Oregon

Crater Lake

On Sunday August 10 (day 32), leaving Tahoe well rested and looking for a bit of solitude at our last National Park of the trip, we headed out.  Passing through Reno and some afternoon thunderstorms, we made our way into Oregon and Crater Lake.

At Crater Lake we stayed at Mazama Campground, which we learned was a first come first serve campsite even with reservations.  While guaranteed a site, we had to nab one that was open.  Grabbing one of the few available (next to the road) we ate dinner and prepared for the next day.

We awoke Monday to the sound of the road crew working on the road - not exactly what we were looking for at our last park.  Luckily Mommy found a campsite along the river that had opened up that morning.  With the boys still in bed we pulled up camp and moved over.  Nice!

With that done, we headed up to the lake.  What struck me most about Crater Lake was the incredible blues of the water.  We had seen glacier blue waters in Glacier and Tetons.  We had seen brown waters through Utah and Arizona.  We had seen clear streams and pools in Yosemite.  But Crater Lake is unique in the magnificent blues.  There is nothing that feeds into the lake - just the rain and snow that falls on it.  So there is almost no sediment in the lake.  The result is amazing blues that can take your breath away.

Sam admiring the vivid colors of Crater Lake

The boys checking out Wizard Island

 

That afternoon we made the hike down to the lake for a swim.  By this point experiencing the water at all of our stops was a priority.  Hiking down we spied the Old Man of the Lake - a Hemlock log that has been floating vertically in Crater Lake since 1896.  The swim was well worth the effort.

Papa enjoying Crater Lake - the water was about 120 feet deep where I landed

Mommy cooling off - look at the blue by her feet

Jacob takes the plunge

 

Sam taking his mind off the hike up

Phantom Ship (the other island)

That night we enjoyed the last real cookout of our trip at our newly acquired campsite overlooking Annie Creek.

the boys tending the campfire

Papa enjoys morning tea - that's a campsite!

 

the r-pod enjoying its last national park of the trip

 

Sisters

 

Tuesday morning we made the drive up to Sisters for our final stay of the trip at the Bend/Sisters Garden RV Resort.  This is the top RV resort in Oregon and it did not disappoint - lush grounds, mini golf, pool, hot tub, and the best showers we had seen on the trip.  I think we showered about every six hours we were there.

 

The weather was cold and rainy, unusual for Sisters in August, but fitting somehow for our final stop.  We had a wonderful dinner in Sisters at the Open Door on Tuesday night, a cozy restaurant set in an art gallery.  On Wednesday we lucked out and enjoyed our three hours of sunshine while rafting the Deschutes.  After the lazy Colorado the Class III rapids on the Deschutes felt gigantic.  That night we ate our dinner in the trailer watching Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow while the rain fell.  Time for home.

r-pod at Sisters - undersized but not outclassed

 

on the Deschutes

 

 Scouting out the upcoming rapids

Jacob showing off his California skating moves

Sam showing off his new board

the skaters

time for home

 

Final Thoughts

 

For the final numbers on our trip, see the Home post.  Having spent the past few days getting everything down in words and pictures I realize now that the real value of the trip was all of the shared experiences and memories that our family now has.  We learned about each other in a way that is only possible living in a twenty foot trailer together for five weeks.  And we certainly built a greater appreciation for each other and for our beautiful country. 

 

Where are we going next?