Drew and I went up to Marys Peak last night to see how much snow there is on the road. We found several feet up near the summit. The 80’s Toyota HiLux that Drew mobs around in did an amazing job. The photo above is from my camera phone. Note that this truck is RWD, has an open differential, and we didn’t have any extra weight in the bed.
A retouched photo from Drew’s camera makes it look like daylight. I can assure you that it was night.
The lights of Corvallis behind Drew’s truck. Yes, we really did go to the summit in well below freezing temperatures with tube doors.
Another photo of Drew’s truck. The fog was swirling around below the mountain top.
This is a short video of our drive to the summit. We encountered several big 4x4s at the top. One had become hopelessly stuck in the snow. They couldn’t believe that we had made it in our little RWD pickup.
Welcome to Crater Lake National Park! In the winter when the snowpack is thick, park entry is free.
The road was mostly snow and ice-free (with a few notable exceptions) but there was quite a bit of snow piled up on all sides.
Heather enjoyed driving her Audi through the winter wonderland.
Crater Lake in all its winter glory. This is the first time I ever went to the lake in the winter. The last time I visited was sometime in middle school or early high school.
The restrooms were still open via a crazy steel tunnel.
Inside the tunnel. This contraption allows access to the restrooms even in the deepest of snow.
The building door is sighted!
It was a wee bit chilly up on the rim. We didn’t have our snow survival gear with us but we did have a few layers and some warm hats.
Wizard Island. In the summer, you can ride a boat out to the island and walk to the summit.
The snack and gift shop lodge under the snow. Surprisingly, it was actually open and staffed.
The Crater Lake Lodge boarded up for the winter. Only a couple of maintenance people go inside off-season. The right portion of the photo looks south toward Klamath Lake and Klamath Falls.
Lots of snow piled up around the lodge.
Heather sitting at the edge of forever.
It was very difficult to keep my eyes open for this photo.
Heather’s car was getting pretty dirty from all of the winter road grime.
What a beautiful lake!
In spite of the snow, the gift shop and cafe was open.
It was a good thing because we were cold and wanted something warm to drink!
Another long snow tunnel leading to the front door.
We headed up the narrow, winding road to the Oregon Caves National Monument. Not too long after leaving the valley, we ran into snow and ice on the road.
Lots of ice!
Welcome to the Oregon Caves National Monument!
Is that a chalet I spy through the trees and snow?
Why, yes it is!
The chalet at Oregon Caves National Monument spans over a small creek that occasionally can become torrential and destroy the bottom portion of the building.
The monument lodge is just upstream from the chalet.
The chalet is gorgeous. I bet it is an amazing place to stay during the season. In the winter, the place is closed up tight. There aren’t enough tourists to justify keeping it open.
Heather on the snow and ice near the lodge and chalet.
A pool of water fed by a stream emerging from an entrance to the cave system.
The lodge with dead trees standing sentinel behind. At some point in the not too distant past, it appears that a fire swept through the area but miraculously spared the lodge and chalet.
The flags are flying even in winter. Park staff obviously check on the buildings regularly even out of season. I look forward to visiting again when everything is open. The one nice thing about the winter is that admission is free!
Closed. Will return March 23, 2013.
Looking from the lodge down to the chalet.
The snow was laid in thick among the trees.
The lower entrance to the caves system. Note all of the icicles hanging around the entrance. If I were a bat living here, I would hibernate all winter. Brrr!
The gate to the caves was locked. Sometime in the near future I will come back when the park is fully open for a tour of the caves.
Heather at the entrance to the cave.
Standing inside the cave.
Icicles hanging from the moss.
We didn’t go all the way up the cliff nature trail. There were too many other things to see and do on our list for the day. The next time we are here, we will go up the trail for the view.
This is the upper exit to the caves.
The ice floes coming down from the rock above are pretty interesting.
Icicles waiting for the warm weather to return.
Somewhere out there are the snow-covered Siskiyous.
I was in a very precarious position when I took this photo.
Another view of the lodge.
The chalet in the early afternoon winter sun.
Walking back to our car past the lodge.
Driving down the mountain. This road is seriously twisty!
