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Today started with a drive along
the West Rim, starting at Rim Village, where a visitor center and gift shop
reside, not to mention great views of the lake like this.
Crater Lake, OR (7/30) |
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These little chipmunks are all
around the crater |
A green Wizard Island |
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An artist's rendition of Mount
Mazama erupting 12,000 years ago, thus forming the crater that would
eventually be home to a lake |
A birds-eye view of the crater -
a three-dimensional map located inside the visitor center at Rim Village.
That's Wizard Island on the left, and the very small Phantom Ship on the
right |
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A passing dragonfly stopping for
a quick photo shoot |
Resting on the warm rock-wall |
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Prior to walking down the trail
to Cleetwood Cove, Elena decides to brave the storm (i.e., port-o-potty).
Fortunately for her, this one happened to be one of the cleanest we've yet
to find. |
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Walking down to Cleetwood Cove
for a cool dip in the lake. About halfway down, we noticed a woman
sitting on the side of the path. When she didn't respond right away to
our casual, "How are you doing?", we found out she was not well, that she
was hypoglycemic and in need of a sugary snack. Elena offered her what we
had: granola bar, plum, fruit leather, her right arm, a lung, etc.
Fortunately, the woman was fine with just the granola bar! |
A lake view from the trail |
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This is real- no Photoshop
necessary when the water is really this blue and this spectacular |
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Almost there... |
This girl prepares for the jump
from the highest available jumping-off point, about 15 feet |
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With or without fear, she did it! |
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From the lowest jumping-off point
- a high eight-foot drop - the task ahead of Elena appears a daunting one... |
...one that requires a little
help and support from above. |
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Climbing up the rocks from the
water |
Triumphant after her jump, Elena
now waits for Jonathan to follow suit
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With people watching and waiting,
the pressure to jump from the safety of the rocks into the unknown is too
great to resist |
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The water is cold, but not as
cold as we thought. And as you can see, it's crystal clear as well! |
Rebecca contemplates jumping from
the highest point... |
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...and does it!!! Well
done!!! |
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Wading in the water after the
second jump |
Shall there be a third jump???
Nah!!! |
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Rebecca and her parents, Mary and
Tom, former lifeguards - and guardian angels for us in case anything should
go wrong on our jumps! |
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Getting a different perspective
of the height of the highest jumping-off point |
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Heading back up the Cleetwood
Cove Trail, happy to be able to say we jumped and swam in Crater Lake! |
At the top of the trail, Elena is
just as happy to have experienced Crater Lake up close and personal |
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Driving along the rim of the
lake, we stop for a sunny shot of the water |
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At Cloudcap Overlook live the
Whitebark Pines |
The Whitebark Pines |
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A nice look at the Phantom Ship,
not surprisingly, from the official Phantom Ship Overlook spot along the rim
drive |
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Capping off a beautiful day at
Crater Lake |
Back at the campsite for our last
night at Crater Lake |
