2016.4.16-17 Crater Lake snowshoe

4/15, Friday, I was picked up at work at about 3:30pm. Ok traffic out of Portland, but congestion to Wilsonville. Then, smooth ride. Blue and golden flowers on I-5 divider around Salem. We headed west from Roseburg on Hwy-138. Umpqua River is scenic. Bucolic the first 10 miles, gorge like the rest. White dogwood trees dotted the steep river bank. Water is running fast. Three of us set up camp with flashlight at Toketee campground ($10), the only one that's open in the area. Quite a few cars here. S spent the night in his car, because he has never tried to even taken out of his new tent. After 10 minutes or so struggling with headlight, he gave up. Instead, he started camp fire (there're fire rings). A bit chilly at night. My feet were cold.

4/16, Saturday. Toketee Falls is a short walk away. Nice setting. The basalt columns where the water comes down is also pretty. At the start of the hike is the 12' water pipe sending water from Toketee Lake (reservoir) North Umpqua Hydroelectric Plant. A bunch of leaks as wood contracts and expands: good for washing :)

I'd like to check out Toketee Hot Spring and Watson Falls nearby. But M, our organizer of this trip doesn't want to. Well, next time.

We arrived at Crater Lake at ~10:15am. Picked up water and backcountry camping permit. Current snow: ~100", snow since last Oct: 432", average annual snowfall 524". The ring road was cleared out up to Discovery Point. Saw the snow blower at work. Camping is allowed 1+ mile in.

It's unseasonably warm. Feels like in the 70s. The snow was sweating. After setting up our tents - found great spots without snow, M and I Snowshoed up to Watchman Tower. The view here is always superb. Can see Klamath Lakes halfway up. Shasta is very clear from here. The Tower is completely surrounded by snow. The deck is almost cleared of snow. A couple was napping on the deck.

Clouds were too thick to the west for a good sunset. To the east, the lake was as still as a mirror. Ice began to form on the lake surface, after the sunset. A warmer night than yesterday.

4/17, Sunday. Alarm set at 4am. Stars were not the best. The sky was not dark enough, as the moon just set 30 minutes ago, or maybe some clouds. I could still see milky way straddling across the lake, and a few brighter stars shimmering in the lake. Not too cold. A bit of breeze. Got up again shortly before 6am. I could see the orange glow from inside of my tent. So hurried out. Great view. Not much of a reflection, due to the ice sheets on the lake surface.

Temperature rose as soon as the sun rose. We packed up by 8am, and snowshoed out. Walked the road from Discovery Point. The snow crew hasn't arrived yet. Returned the backcountry permit. Watched the short video at the visitor center. Drove to Beckie's Cafe at Union Creek Lodge. I had an omelette. It's big, but I finished it all. Service was very slow. A packed house. 74°F when we left Beckie's. It would reach mid 80s this day in Portland.

Took Hwy-58 back. Salt Creek Falls is 286', one of the tallest waterfalls in Oregon. Interesting basalt cliff, thundering water. Very short walk to the upper viewing platform. Quite a few people. One guy pulled 2 small rhododendron trees, kept one, and tossed the other by the road! The access road was snow covered. But it's only about half a mile. I should have read this Wiki page. Didn't go on any neighboring trail, even though we had plenty of time.

Short (1 mile?) detour to see Office Covered Bridge at Westfir. You can drive on the red bridge over North Fork Middle Fork Willamette River (what a name!) to a big parking lot. Proper bathroom. No shade. The bridge looks new. It also has a pedestrian walkway. Nice windows looking out to the water and neighboring hills. The car reported 82°F.

Back at home at 6pm. Early enough to clean the gears and do laundry.