Crater Lake, The Rest of the Story...post views...26,649

     Tuesday morning Kahana and I checked out of the Budget Motel in Chemult and headed 30 miles to the north entrance of Crater Lake park.               This morning was warmer and somewhat overcast.  We were going to have breakfast at a corner cafe that sported a large flag advertising BREAKFAST.  

The place was not open.     We were aiming for the south entrance, but going through the north was the only access.  The drive was rather foggy and a bit rainy.  There were more cars at the entrance than the day before, but it was also later in the morning.  

      With the overcast sky we wanted to observe what Crater Lake looked like.  We made the same first stop that we did the day before....just in time for the rain to pour down...

Crater Lake, Monday,  9/5, 9AM      Crater Lake, Tuesday 9/6, 11 AM  

                                                          Sure wouldn't want to walk along the edge that morning....



   We drove down the west side since it was shorter.  The day before we had been informed that road construction was starting there and would be finished in 2 years and 10 months.  And start it did....fog and all....
   We waited with a line of cars to be escorted by a pilot car.  What was good about this is that there was only one lane of traffic going through so brave Kahana could drive in the middle of the road and not along the unsure foggy edge...

Snow marker....at 8054 ft. elevation the mountain gets about 530 inches a year













The fog cleared as we drove through lower altitudes....


 At the south entrance we discovered a handy camp store to cover adventurers needs.  
We met up with a group of hikers from the Pacific Crest Trail....we didn't actually know for sure but their huge backpacks and lingering offensive odor seemed a give away.


There is also a nice, cozy restaurant.

A short distance from there are 10 small 
cabin/motels with 4 rooms each.   

And camp sites of various sizes.

All this is really a scouting venture for me.
I have a grandson, Tyler, from Wisconsin who wants to take his Grandma G trip to Crater Lake next summer. We might even plan a Schmidt family get together here. This could include up to 34+ people.  With the short window of "nice weather" and the area so remote, timing and reservations almost a year ahead are everything.   

    I wanted to leave from the south entrance to return home, but the only road available would have added another 2 hours to our trip back.  So up through the west road to the northern entrance once again.  

   


This time the lake was a bit more 
noticeablealong with the con-
struction work.

  While there I bought my passport to the National parks and sites, got my first stamp and also the 100 year anniversary one.  Now, along with my life time park pass I am set to visit the 59 NP (according to Wikipedia) and over 200 historical and memorial sites.
And ready for rainy days with a nifty 500 piece puzzle.

     I could even have a goal of passing on in one of the parks. When visiting Mammoth Cave a few years ago the park ranger told the story of 3 elderly ladies who had visited the park recently.  They told a ranger that their hope was to die in one of the parks.  The ranger said they treated them very nicely and sent them on their way as quickly as possible.   So there....  don't know what his notion of "elderly" was.   

         On our drive home, once we hit I-5 we ran into rain, but with that we were treated to a stunning show of several double rainbows and variety of cloud patterns.  I got to watch it all and take photos while Kahana intently navigated the roads, rain and traffic. Thanks, Kahana!!
                                  Full rainbow....

Lucky people....
pot of gold at rainbow's end right in their backyard....

      

This has been a good 3 "rest of the story" days in the life of Grandma G.

"But I [Jesus] tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." 
 (Matthew 5:44 & 45)