National Park Service Crater Lake U.S. Department of the Interior Refections Visitor Guide Winter/Spring 2019-2020 Rotary plow at Rim Village One Lake, Many Moods Crater Lake is unpredictable. No matter how Clouds also create scenes of stunning drama. many times you’ve seen it before, you can When storms end, the lake’s features slowly never be sure exactly what to expect on your reveal themselves to fortunate onlookers. next visit to the rim. The lake’s appearance And once every few years, some lucky visitors is ever-changing and often surprising. This reach the rim to fnd a “smoking cauldron”— is especially true in the winter—perhaps the the crater flled with fog, under a blue sky (see best time of year to witness Crater Lake at its photo on back page). This occurs when cold, most wild and beautiful. moist air becomes trapped in the caldera during a temperature inversion. The lake’s character depends partly on the wind. On many winter days, strong winds Sometimes, too, Crater Lake is masked by ice. whip across the water. The strongest gusts It forms along the shore during cold snaps. materialize as whitecaps and can be seen Seeing the lake entirely frozen over, however, Keeping the Park marching, like angry armies, across the width is a once-in-a-lifetime experience (the lake’s of the lake. Calm days in the winter are few tremendous depth makes its surface freeze- Open is “Snow” and far between, but, when they occur, the resistant). In 1949, the last time the lake Snowshoe with a scene is entirely diferent. The lake becomes became ice-bound, it froze for 2½ months Easy Task a mirror and refects the sky in perfect and a thick layer of snow accumulated on top. Park Ranger symmetry; the air is so quiet you can hear a Typically, though, seeing bergs of snow and What were you doing at 4:00 am this Ranger-led snowshoe walks are a fun way morning? If you were a member of the pine needle drop. ice in the water is simply an indication that an to experience the winter wonderland of Crater Lake roads crew, you might have avalanche has recently occurred on the inner Crater Lake National Park. This winter, if been reporting for duty! The lake’s appearance (and frequent walls of the caldera. staffng and snow conditions allow, they disappearance) also depends on cloud cover. will take place on Saturdays, Sundays, and Trying to keep Highway 62 and the road Nearly 50% of the time in the winter and With so many variables (and we haven’t holidays from November 23 through April to Rim Village open year-round is no easy early spring, storms completely hide the lake even mentioned the color of the water, 26. Walks will also likely be offered daily task. Each day, the park’s heavy equipment from view. While disappointing for visitors which can vary from bright blue to slate from December 21 through January 5 operators work from 4:00 am to 8:00 pm, who have driven hours to get here, it’s during gray, with hues of red, orange, and purple (except on Christmas Day) and from March in two different shifts, clearing snow and these periods of rain and snow that the lake at sunrise and sunset), Crater Lake is never 20 through March 29. Snowshoes are sanding roads. During heavy storms, snow is replenished. Crater Lake wouldn’t be the same lake twice. And thank goodness! Its provided free of charge and no previous removal can become a 24-hour operation, America’s deepest lake without such wet unpredictability is one of its fnest attributes, snowshoeing experience is necessary. with crews working 12 hours at a time. winters, which dump an average of 43 feet one that makes visiting (and re-visiting) the (13 meters) of snow at Park Headquarters. park such a delightful and rewarding activity. The walks start at 1:00 pm, last 2 hours, “It can be a hazardous job,” reports one and cover 1 to 2 miles (1.6–3.2 km) of hilly operator, “especially when it’s dark and terrain. The route is up to the ranger, but white-out conditions are occurring. On a most walks begin at Rim Village and explore The surface of Crater Lake winding mountain road, you never know the forests and meadows along the rim of rarely freezes. During cold what’s around the next corner. It could be snaps, however, fngers of ice the caldera. Along the way, participants a tree across the road at windshield level, sometimes probe from the discover how winter affects Crater Lake a car stuck in the snow, or an avalanche.” shore out over the abyss. and the park’s plants and animals. Snow plows were frst used at Crater Lake Space on each tour is limited, and advance in 1930. Prior to that, crews used shovels reservations are recommended. You can and dynamite to clear the roads each sign up at the Steel Visitor Center or by Rangers use a giant spring. Today, the park employs 6 operators “ruler” to measure calling 541-594-3100. Participants must and 2 mechanics who use both push plows snow depth at Park be at least 8 years old, healthy enough for and rotary plows. The rotary plows are Headquarters. They’ve a moderate-to-strenuous hike, and have equipped with a fan that can shoot snow measured snow depth warm clothing and water-resistant footwear. 75 to 80 feet (24 meters) into the air. To and snowfall at this control where the snow lands, the operator location since 1931. Scout troops, hiking clubs, and other can vary the angle and volume of output. Most years, as in this organized groups of 10 or more people photo, the mid-winter may be able to arrange for their own The amount of snow moved each winter snowpack exceeds 10 ranger-led walk (staff permitting). Group by the park’s roads crew is astounding. feet (3 meters) deep, walks are available on weekdays as well as but last winter, it never (continued on back page) on weekends. touched the 4-foot (1.2-meter) mark. The park is central to the cultural traditions of Park Profle local American Indian tribes, whose ancestors Watch the Park Film witnessed the lake’s formation. Crater Lake National Park protects the deepest Curious to learn more about Crater Lake? lake in the United States. Fed by rain and snow Today, old-growth forests blanket the volcano’s Stop by the Steel Visitor Center to watch the (but no rivers or streams), the lake is considered outer slopes, harboring more than 700 native park’s 22-minute introductory flm, shown every to be the cleanest and clearest large body of plant species and a wide variety of animals, half hour. It explores the park’s signifcance water in the world. including several that are rare or endangered. and the wonder that Crater Lake has inspired for generations. The flm, entitled Crater Lake: The lake rests inside a caldera formed • Park established: 1902 Into the Deep, includes dramatic underwater 7,700 years ago when a 12,000-foot-tall • Size: 183,000 acres (74,060 hectares) footage along with state-of-the-art animation (3,600-meter) volcano collapsed following • Annual visitation: 700,000 people that depicts the lake’s violent, volcanic past. a major eruption. The eruption may have • Lake depth: 1,943 feet (592 meters) been the largest in North America in the past • Lake width: 4.5 to 6 miles (7 to 10 km) 640,000 years. Later eruptions formed Wizard • Lake volume: 5 trillion gallons (19 tr. liters) Island, a cinder cone near the southwest shore. • Last time the lake froze over: 1949 Regional Map Winter Recr National Park Service Bend U.S. Dept. of the Interior Eugene NATIONAL Crater Lake Snowmobile FORESTS 20 Route 58 Steel Llao Rock Bay 97 8049ft Crater Lake Visitor Guide North Junction 2453m Winter/Spring 2019-2020 7025ft 5 2142m Llao Bay This is the offcial trip-planner and newspaper 138 of Crater Lake National Park. It is published Chemult Diamond Lake Diamond Lake Devils -1788ft twice a year and funded by the Crater Lake Overlook Backbone -545m Roseburg 138 Crater Lake Natural History Association through sales 230 National Park Watchman Overlook l made in the visitor center bookstore. e North Entrance Road n Union Creek n & Rim Drive are a Watchman Peak h C Park Mailing Address: CLOSED in winter 8013ft Wizard Prospect 62 l Crater to automobiles 2442m l Island Crater Lake National Park e Elevation at lake level: 62 k PO Box 7 Fort S 6173ft Klamath Union Peak Overlook 6940ft Crater Lake, OR 97604 Grants Chiloquin 2116m 1882m 234 NATIONAL Pass 62 FORESTS Phone: 541-594-3000 97 Lightning Wizard Medford Springs Trail -1548ft Website: www.nps.gov/crla Island -472m Email: [email protected] 199 Klamath Falls Overlook Ashland Discovery Point Rim Village Rim Café & Gift Shop Accessibility visitor center for a list 7100ft The Steel Visitor Center of accommodations 2165m Hemlock Loop and Rim Village Café & outside the park. Pacific West Rim Drive Raven Trail Gift Shop are accessible Roads & Travel Crest to people with mobility Lost & Found Trail impairments. Weather Report lost & found The park is open year-round, 24 Village is also kept open as much Dutton Creek Trail permitting, partial views items to the Steel Visitor Garfield hours a day. Some roads, trails, as possible (typically about 80% Castle Creek of Crater Lake can be Center or call the park’s Park Peak and facilities, however, are closed of the time in the winter), but it’s 8054ft enjoyed from the top lost & found offce at Headquarters 2455m foor of the gift shop, 541-594-3060.