Crater Lake National Park in Autumn

Wizard Island, Crater Lake National Park

Caldera's Edge

The Watchman

One week ago today, we drove south on Highway 97 toward Ashland. October is the last month of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Members this year, we had yet to enjoy any plays there, so this was our last chance. We usually go without buying tickets, hoping to "rush" plays, saving some money and seeing more plays. The Festival internet site listed most plays as having "many" tickets available. So, we went and trusted that we'd be in luck.

On the way, we headed into the Cascade mountains under overcast skies at the turnoff to Crater Lake and Diamond Lake. As we approached the Park, the skies cleared and instead of skirting the lake to the west, we decided to drive the rim road. With the sky blue, we anticipated seeing once again the amazing deep blue of the famous fathomless lake and the steep rocky sides of the caldera. We were not disappointed. Reaching the first view turn-off, we walked up to the rim and gasped. Maybe that was from the altitude, but more likely, the lake itself once again took our breath away. On south around the rim are wonderful vistas. At the Watchman, we looked down on Wizard Island, the small volcanic cone where the small lake research boat is kept out of sight. Our Oregon State University Forestry staff was once privileged to spend a day on the lake with the national park research unit, an experience that will stay with me forever. After chili con carne for lunch at the Rim Village, we followed 62 past Union Creek, down the west side of the Cascades, through stands of old evergreens, yellow aspens and big-leaf maple, and red vine maple, all brilliant in the slanting clear autumn sunlight.

In Ashland, the plays we wanted to see--The Music Man, Macbeth, and Equivocation--had only a "few" tickets remaining, so we bought at our member discount rate. Wednesday we took a warm morning walk through Lithia Park, especially lovely this time of year. How lucky we are.