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05/18/09

This was a significant day to me it happened to be the 29th year anniversary of the Mt Saint Helens Eruption and my 28th birthday. I wanted to do something cool involving the Crater but I wasn’t home so I felt that Crater Lake would be a good substitute.

Crater Lake is the Remnance of a Massive Volcano name Mt Mazama but a massive eruption 7700 years ago destroyed the summit cone leaving behind a huge crater that slowly filled with water from snowpack and rain. At this time the only access to Crater Lake is on the South side and it only accesses a view point as the road circumference of Mazama is closed. The high point of Mazama is Hillman (Mt Scott is a separate Peak) so Amar and I decided to head that way and stop by The Watchmen along the way.


The night before we drove up to the Crater rim so I could watch the sunrise early the next morning.
Watching the sunrise with Hillman to the left and Wizard Island in the Crater

The sun rising to the North

Looking East with Mt Scott on the Left hand side

The sun cresting over Crater Lake

Photo by Amar Andalkar
The Watchmen to the left, Hillman in the Center and Liao rock to the right

Wizard Island

Amar figuring out the best way to skin to the Peaks

Skinning across the Crater Rim

Once again Amar doesn’t need snow to skin

The Lookout tower on The Watchmen

Photo by Amar Andalkar
The snowpack is melting fast

Photo by Amar Andalkar
The view from Watchmen

Enjoying the lookout tower

Photo by Amar Andalkar
Hillman in the distance (They are obviously working on the road)

Amar dropping off The Watchmen

Looking back up the face of the Watchmen

Skinning up the NW ridge of Hillman

Photo by Amar Andalkar
Amar bootpacking up some rock scramble

The last few steps before making it to the summit

Photo by Amar Andalkar
Switching over on the summit of Hillman

Photo by Amar Andalkar
Bailey, Diamond Peak and Theilsen in the distance

Looking down a sick line into the crater (it was too late in the day the slope was naturally sluffing)

Looking back at our starting point

My best impression of CLAIM

Photo by Amar Andalkar
Amar skiing down with my line to the left

Skinning back to the parking lot


Trip Totals
Ascent/Decent 2150 feet
around 6 1/2 miles

that is most definitely on my list of places to visit. Thanks for the TR!

Sick pics!

nice pictures looks good

i thought decending into the crater was illegal? not that you giuys did that, but id look into that.

Scenic to say the least!

ps. I put the claim pic on the cover.