Crater Lake National Park, Oregonby Joseph A. Sprince - Photography by Gerald B. AllenWith the addition of Lassen Volcanic National Park to our collection we want to bring you this panorama of Crater Lake, one of the world's most spectacular calderas. (A caldera is the cone-like remnant of a collapsed volcano.) Mount Mazama was a huge volcano, 12,000 feet high and many miles across. Eons of lava flows built up the mountain's girth, and it was one of the giants of the Cascade range. Approximately 6,000 years ago the volcano expelled all its contents in a huge explosion, and the peak, lacking support, collapsed. The top four thousand feet of the mountain disappeared. What remained was a bowl more than five miles across and four thousand feet deep. In time the bowl filled with water, and today the surface is at 6,200 feet elevation. The rim is in some places two thousand feet above the water's surface. Under better lighting conditions the lake is an intense blue color and contrasting with the caldera's steep walls makes a spectacular sight. Wizard Island, shown left, was created about 600 years ago by a new eruption. The island can be visited by boat tour during the summer.
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Books
Trails of Crater Lake National Park & Oregon Caves National Monument
by William L. Sullivan
This complete visitors guide includes everything you need to make the most of a visit to Crater Lake and Oregon Caves -- detailed descriptions of every trail, sightseeing suggestions, and tips on where to stay.
The Mt. Shasta Book: A Guide to Hiking, Climbing, Skiing, and Exploring the Mountain and Surrounding Area
by Andrew Selters, Michael Zanger
At 14,162 feet, Mt. Shasta dominates its landscape and provides endless recreation opportunities for outdoors enthusiasts. Although official trails are few, this overview of the surrounding area provides plenty of access routes and trip descriptions to help hikers, climbers, skiers, and mountain bikers make the most out of the diverse terrain. A waterproof, foldout topographic map is included. Photography
Prince of Wales Hotel by Gerald Allen
Waterton National Park, Alberta, Canada. Excellent large format. Buy This Print! Related Pages
While the Pacific "Ring of Fire" manifests itself as earthquakes in California, other parts of the American West feature volcanos, volcanic remains, and other fascinating geothermal activity.
Location
Crater Lake is about 60 miles northeast of Medford, Oregon (on Interstate 5), on State Route 62. Local Weather
Klamath Falls, Oregon
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