Gone West 11

Crater Lake.

We travelled the long straight road to the Northern entrance and arrived early afternoon. We had heard (it through the grapevine) that the entrance was open but that the whole route around the crater was still closed (snow), but that the Western Lip was open and passable. We, as normal had not booked a campsite for the evening, but we as normal trusted on the luck of the Irish.

Crater Lake, in Summer (after we had left) the rangers run boat trips around the lake.

The Chipmunks at play at one of the viewing points along the road along the Western side of the lake.

One Chap that had been hanging around since Christmas.

A view across the edge of the crater to the Cascade Mountains beyond

Mount Scott in the distance

The trip around the lip was really fantastic, there was of course still lots of snow and we could only travel as far as the Crater Lodge as the East side was still closed to vehicle traffic, though walkers and bikers were able to use it , but even that was a wonder.

We travelled out of the South side of the park and started to look for campsite and we came to the first campsite on Highway 62 in the direction of Fort Klamath, the owner said no problem, but if you want Internet and laundry facilities, it is better you try a little further down the road (little being 3 miles), we arrived and once again had luck, it was another gem of a campsite.

It had everything you could wish for, including a fishing stream that ox-bowed through the site, it was idyllic, quiet and right in the middle of nature.

We were up early so after a walk around the site, I made breakfast, alas the gas cartridge needed replacing.

It was sausage and bacon sandwiches

Breakfast is served Madame!

While the kitchen staff done the dishes and cleaned the kitchen I had a nice walk around the camp site, I must say it is very well laid out, with wonderful clean showers and toilets.

As we had decided to stop for two nights and the next day circumnavigate Lake Klamath with a stop off at Klamath Falls (where have the Falls gone?), there was no need to hurry, so we didn't it is always nice to have a longer break to investigate the area.


We went first to the Information Centre, we got a load of information and pamphlets, but better still I had a long talk with the head of the water nature authority, she told me about their efforts to resettle beavers. Beavers are not loved by everyone, in fact the farmers are their worst enemy, they dam the streams and flood the fields as well as chewing their way through many cubic meters of timber. She told me that they collect them in an area near the fish hatcheries very near to our campsite.

The young lady at the front desk had informed us that a nature trail started right in front of the building so with no more ado we set off around a couple of ponds and under a road bridge, it was well worth the trouble of visiting the information centre (as it always is).

Here are just a few of the residents of the park.

The first we happened upon (they are aas common as our Blackbirds) was the Red Winged Blackbird

Yellow Headed Blackbird

Mr and Mrs, she has her beak full for their brood

Well camouflaged 

A Semipalmated Plover picking amongst the railway stones

Hundreds of Swallows swooping and diving 

A lot of hungry mouths to feed, this scene was replicated on all of the bridge columns 

A Yellow Headed Blackbird singing on a reed stem

A close up

There a lot more that we saw and photographed, but unless you are into Ornithology, it can get a bit boring, I shall be setting up a separate page with my collection and reflection of the birds of the West Coast of the USA, but later.

We returned to Jucy which was still tethered in the information centre car park, I couldn't resist taking a picture of this wonderful house across the street.

We then travelled into town to have lunch at another wonderful Diner, we then went to Safeway's to get something for the BBQ that evening and fill up, before heading out around the other side  of the Kalamath Lake heading in the direction of Fort Kalamath and the fish Hatchery that the kind lady had told me about earlier. We of course couldn't find it at first (took a wrong turning or two) and when we did it was closed, it was just a couple of miles down the road from the campsite and we must have passed it at least twice. But that would keep until tomorrow.

We got back to the pitch and now a well disciplined team, Jucy was all set up and ready for the night in a matter of minutes. I then set about getting the Shellfish ready for the BBQ while Linda Prepped the Veg. BBQ on and the american Robin shooed away (it had squatted on the table that we would be using).

Life can be hard when camping, but we decided not for us!

Lobster tails, oysters, clams, prawns, roast potatoes, courgettes, asparagus and a bottle of Californian White (chilled of course). Ah yes life is hard on the trail.









As went for a walk around the site, before settling down for the night, thinking that this was another wonderful site that we had happened upon.

Next morning I was up (needed the bathroom), so got showered and went for a walk through the woods that bordered the site and the river (I had heard an owl Twitt, Terwooing and a woodpecker pecking, so thought I must investigate. (didn't see either not a peck or a woo in sight).

But it was wonderful morning and I did happen upon a swallow bringing new down for the bed and a couple of Prairie Dogs going about their business.

I got back to find Linda still in bed, but I got her out of the saddle and into the shower. We didn't breakfast as we had eaten so well the night before and were on the road and into the Hatchery (it opened at 07:30)

We were met by one of the Rangers who explained the ethos of the Water, Fisheries and game departments objectives (replenishing wild stock of endangered species and not only fish, but all game). There are a load of information boards around the site explaining the work they do and about the resettlement projects.

A blue Jay sitting on the fence 

A Blue Jay just hopped off a fence

A hatchery pond with Par

Steelheads ready for release to stock lakes, rivers and streams 

Swallows returning to feed their broods

A pond full of fish

More Swallows nests

Bald Mountain in the distance

A Hawk Souring above the flooded fields

The Cascades and the rim of Crater Lake

An Orange Crowned Warbler (I think?)

Bat Boxes

The School Party

The dammed water course

The reason, a Beaver Dam

And another

The Beaver Lodge

He told us that the beaver dam was just a little way along the track that lead into the park, we turned and were just heading for the exit when a school bus arrived, it discharged its inhabitants and it was a school that was having a field day trip, now that is what I call useful education.

We found the dams and lodge and also managed to get some shots of the bird life in the trees, we then returned, unhitched Jucy and hit the trail towards our next destination, the Lava tubes.

Before we leave the Kalamath area, where the hell are the falls? well there never were any actual falls as such more just a series rapids.

"The Klamath name for the Link River white water falls was Tiwishkeni, or "where the falling waters rush".^[13] From this Link River white water phenomenon "Falls" was added to Klamath in its name. In reality it's best described as rapids rather than falls. The rapids are visible a short distance below the Link River Dam, where the water flow is generally insufficient to provide water flow over the river rocks"

So that sets that myth to rest we searched and couldn't find them so don't bother looking!