Cascade Lakes: Something That Should Be Seen in Person

     Of all the features that define the northwest, one of these is the Cascade Mountains. This volcanic chain stretching from California into Canada is famous both for its beauty, it's ecology, and its explosive history, which has occasionally reached into the present day. In addition to its history and natural beauty, the Cascades also offer several opportunities for recreation, including mountain climbing, hiking, and boating on the many lakes that form in between them. It is this last cause that draws our family out.

     We are a camping family, and have been as long as I can remember. This August, we made two primary trips, both of them into this beautiful mountain range. The first trip was one to Newberry National Volcanic Monument, a national monument focused around the volcanic features of Newberry Volcano. Our second trip was to Diamond Lake, located in southern Oregon, near the larger and more famous Crater Lake.

     The trip to Newberry started in the afternoon as soon as we could, but due to the distance to the park, it was evening by the time we arrived. Newberry National Volcanic Monument is centered around two lakes--Paulina and East--which fill a caldera (collapsed mountain top.) Over time, this caldera was divided into two lakes by a later eruption. Newberry Volcano has not erupted in 1,300 years, but is still being watched by the USGS as potentially active. We set up our camp on Paulina Lake where we had reserved a spot, and from there took many day trips, and activities in the park.

Looking across Paulina Lake at sunset

  
We hiked part way around the lake, visited hot springs on its shores, saw the great obsidian flow (one of the largest deposits of this rare form of lava) and drove to the highest point in the park to look over the park and the rest of the region. The air was clear, so we were able to see a number of cascade peaks. Of course we didn't waste the opportunity that the lake provided. At night, we shared the lake with insect-eating bats and watched the stars come out, enjoying the lack of light pollution in an area that rural. We also went swimming during the heat of the day. Exercise was difficult at times, since the park is located at 6,350 feet

The elevation at the top and the view including the three sisters in the background. Paulina Lake can be seen behind the rock spires

     Our second trip into the mountains, took us to Diamond Lake. Diamond Lake is a natural glacially-carved lake bordered on one side by shield volcano Mt. Bailey, and on the other side, Mt. Theilson. Unlike Paulina Lake, the weather was colder, windier, but still clear. Even children weren't seen swimming, though this could have more to do with the algae (thankfully a non-toxic variety) which would make swimming unpleasant. While I had been prepared to go swimming, We all kept busy, riding our bikes on the paved trail around the lake, including a pass through the village-sized Diamond Lake Resort, and evening bike rides to go look for bats and the Merganser ducks that wandered the lake in the evening.  Dad's model yacht also got its hull wet on several occasions before it got too rough for it to safely navigate.

The model yacht cruising on Diamond Lake, with Mt. Thielson in the background.

     The final lake we visited was Crater Lake, seen as a side trip of our diamond lake adventure. Crater Lake was close to Crater Lake, and we figured it would be a waste to not see it as well. Like Newberry, Crater Lake is a caldera left behind when the ancient Mt. Mazama collapsed in on itself. The caldera later flooded with rainwater and snowmelt brought in by violent storms. We did the normal tourist routine at Crater Lake: drove the Rim Drive, visited the lodge and sat in the wooden armchairs, and had quesadillas in an old campground-turned-picnic area. We tried to get a boat ride, but since they were full, we instead climbed a trail on foot up to an old (though still active) watchtower above the rim of the caldera which offered fabulous views of the countryside. There was some haze from a recently-extinguished wildfire, and one could feel the altitude rounding cures on the hikes. Thankfully no one fainted from the altitude!

The view from the slopes of what was once Mt. Mazama, on the drive approaching the Crater Lake Rim

Part of Crater Lake, with Wizard Island in the foreground, as seen en-route to the watchtower.

     The Cascades are large, and there is no way to see them all, at least without dedicating ones life to it. However, I am certain that we will continue to visit the mountains, and the lakes, forests and endless adventures that await within them. -KP

Travels - Issue 64 - KPO