I knew Crater Lake would be exciting. Just think of it. Volcanic Mount Mazama emptied its huge magma chamber in a colossal eruption about 7,500 years ago. When the fireworks were over, the empty magma chamber collapsed, swallowing the mountain top and creating a crater over 2000 feet deep. Then the winter snows slowly but inexorably filled the crater with beautiful deep blue, crystal clear water.
My first experience of the lake was not with camera in hand but on a family trip as we paused for an evening while on or way to Seattle, Washington to visit more family. It was in June and the snow drifts were still piled high, preventing travel but to a small portion of the rim. And yet the experience was profound.
When I conceived of the Oregon photography workshop I knew Creator Lake had to be the culmination, the grand finale of the experience. From Wizard Island (a volcanic cone within the crater), Phantom Ship (the skeleton of a volcano that has long since passed), the Pinnacles (mysterious towers piercing the atmosphere) and the hard-to-imagine blue of the lake itself, Crater Lake is in truth a fitting highlight of the other wonders in this corner of Oregon.
The impact of Mount Mazama’s eruption is not limited to the lake that fills its crater. For miles around, pumice and lava flows dominate the landscape. Rivers cut through this terrain. The North Umpqua River surges over Toketee Falls, plunging down pillars of basalt. Nearby Watson Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls in Oregon.
Try to visualize a wild river bashing its way through a deep chasm with a force that is nearly incomprehensible. Then imagine this same river completely disappearing from view, leaving its bed free of its thundering power, an avenue of safe passage from one bank to the other, only to emerge downstream and continue on its raging way. Such is the upper reaches of the Rogue River.
But this corner of Oregon has more gems than those born of fire and fury. The coast is one of the most beautiful and inspiring in the West. The journey up the coast from California-Oregon border first encounters the Samuel H. Bordman State Park – 12 miles of rugged coastline and dense forest, punctuated with one scenic gem after another. It’s hard to drive more than a mile or two without stopping to take in the next beauty this stretch of coast has to offer. Other points of interest as we make our way north include the Pistol River, Battle Rock and Cape Blanco. The day ends on a high note at Face Rock in the town of Bandon with its stunning array of sea stacks, one of the most photographed sections of coastline that Oregon has to offer.
Pictures tell the real story and I’ve prepared a short slide show for you. I hope you enjoy it.
Click to view a brief Gems of Oregon slide show
Would you like more information? Drop me a message and I’ll get back to you.
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