It was a very cold night and morning, so I slept in a bit. By the time I had packed up and hiked down to the highway, it was already practically 10am.
But that turned out to be very good timing. Owl and Phoenix were there at the trailhead just getting started. They had gotten a ride in from Diamond Lake Resort, where they had spent the previous night in an outdated cabin. They also picked up their resupply there. Grommet and Firefly had been there too, but had left the trail, having finished their hike.
They told me they planned to hike into Crater Lake and stay at Lightning Springs Camp. It was also the next place with water. Since I only had enough water for snacks and lunch, it seemed like a fine plan to get there for supper.
I soon found that I was hiking faster than them, so I passed them. I stopped for lunch in a random spot, then turned off the PCT to begin the climb up the side of Mazama, the ancient mountain that used to stand where the crater is now. It wasn’t particularly steep, but it was a continuous climb for several miles, the last bit of which left the trees and crossed an expanse of sand in the wide open.
I crossed a road and then the lake was there, the whole expanse of it lit by the afternoon sun. I stopped on a giant boulder overlooking it for my afternoon snack. And with it I drank the last of my water. Whatever. Only a few more miles remained.
A mile later, I passed another overlook swarming with tourists, overseen by a crow perched majestically on a very autumnal dead tree. It was like something out of Disney Land. Of course the crow flew off before I could get close enough to get a picture from the best angle.
Just past that was a side trail to the top of the Watchman, which had a lookout tower on top. I couldn’t resist dropping my pack in a thicket and making the climb. There was an overlook that gave the full view of the lake. I danced my way back down the hill after only a minute because it was getting late. Owl was just passing by as I reached the Rim trail again. I chased him, always just out of view, until I reached the turnoff for Lightning Springs. It was a mile down from the rim and had excellent water flow and nice sites. The sun finished setting while I ate supper, and Owl and Phoenix never showed up.
Total distance: 17 miles
Trail progress: 16 miles (noting that the crater lake alternate 5 miles shorter than the “main” PCT, though I’m not sure why anyone would not take the alternate.)
