Next, zig-zagging across states, I entered Oregon and headed east to the Cascade Mountains of southern Oregon. There you can find Crater Lake, formed by the now-collapsed volcano, Mount Mazama. On the approach to Crater Lake, one travels through hilly country alongside a gorgeous river called the Rogue River, a 300km long torrent of meltwater known for its salmon run, whitewater rafting, and rugged scenery.
Crater Lake itself was, as expected, a dramatic site. Too large to capture with a single photograph, the 8,000 year old caldera is 655 m deep (the deepest in the US) and nearly 10 km across.
Leaving Crater Lake National Park and travelling on to Portland, the road passes Mount Thielsen, an extinct shield volcano in the Oregon High Cascades. Because eruptive activity ceased 250,000 years ago, glaciers have heavily eroded the volcano’s structure, creating precipitous slopes and a horn-like peak. The spire-like shape of Thielsen attracts lightning strikes and creates fulgurite, an unusual mineral. Thielsen is one of Oregon’s Matterhorns.
