Day 19.5- Skirting Crater Lake

Thursday. Day 5.

Start 7a. Lo 25. Stop 5:30. Hi 50. Miles 17.3. Elev 6450.

Outhouses are great places for reflection. Well, okay, not ALL outhouses. But the fully heated outhouse with running water and hot air dryer next to Rim Village at Crater Lake IS a great place to contemplate while my clothes dry. Because the main building is closed during the week due to the temporary government re-opening (or something like that, I missed the announcement due to snow!) there is hardly anyone here and I mostly have the spacious restroom to myself.

This is the first time in 3 days that my feet are dry during the day! My night clothes are dry, but my boots and travel socks are soaked. Oh the fun getting dressed in the morning!!

Anyways, it is nice to have my mental focus freed up to just enjoy the sun and the snow and the forward motion. Devils Peak is far behind. I have been given clarity about a church issue that has been on my mind for weeks. Now I just take the miles as they come. I’m happy there are many behind me and I’m glad there are still many in front of me.

It’s funny/interesting/predictable how persistent cardio exertion recharges body, mind, and soul. Not being hampered and harried by short weather windows in between big storms like I was two years makes a huge difference. I’m beginning to get that settled-in and recharged feeling like I get from thru hiking in the summer. There really is a huge benefit that anyone can get from open ended trips like this.

What can I say? Crater Lake!

Timber Crater (inside the park) is front center with Diamond Lake behind it and to the left with Diamond Peak behind it. Bailey Mountain is on the left and Thielsen is the jagged peak on the right.

The icy crust on the field at the beginning of North Entrance road. The slope was only 2 or 3 degrees, but if I tried to glide I would slide sideways downhill more than forward, and I needed to go across not down!