The daily flickr blog featured a Gallery of "Pretty Panoramas" and this image was included, resulting in thousands of views!
blog.flickr.net/en/2013/07/24/pretty-panoramas/
Though I've seen pictures of Crater Lake for many years, I had never seen it in person before today. You cannot believe the deep jewel tone of blue until you see it yourself ! The lake is one of the purest and clearest in the world. It is self-contained - no streams flow in or out of the caldera. It is fed entirely by the annual snowmelt by the 44 feet annual snowfall ! There are still a few patches of snow here and there around the rim.
It would be nice to be here when there are big puffy clouds in the sky, so we'll just have to come back again. The season here is very short - June through September. It is snowed in the rest of the year and they do not snow plow the rim drive.
This is a 7-image panorama covering just under 180 degrees.
I've heard from others that mosquitoes can be vicious here; but we saw only a few. They enjoyed snacking on my tender skin until I slathered it with Deet ! I think the skeeter problem diminishes after most of the snow is melted and there is no standing water.
If you have a moment, look at the largest size to see the astonishing amount of beautiful geological detail created 7,700 years ago by a violent volcano !
