Circumnavigating Crater Lake on skis has been on my radar for years now. In prior years, I’ve shared numerous trips to the National Park in the snow with my father-in-law. Each time, we’ve traveled in the vicinity of The Watchman peak, snow camping for the night then returning the next day. This familiarity with the park in winter conditions set me up for success when it came time to plan for a longer endeavor around the entirety of the lake.
I’m incredibly grateful for my friendship and partnership with my friend Micah as we have had the privilege of enjoying many trips together in the alpine over the years. There is a trust and understanding that you form from many hours spent traveling in these remote and often surreal settings in nature. The plan was set, a 4 day 3 night excursion around the lake in a clockwise direction. We chose the dates of April 10th-13th and hoped for the best concerning the conditions. This time of year in Oregon, it’s often a gamble that the weather will cooperate, especially at the higher elevations in the Cascade Mountains.
I half worryingly watched the weather during March as storm after storm pummeled Crater Lake with snow, week after week. ‘At some point, this has to slow down, right?,’ I thought. Then just around the beginning of April, the pattern switched and calm ensued. On Saturday, April 10th, I left Portland and met up with Micah in Bend. We made some last minute purchases of food and gear and were off, heading south on Hwy 97. We arrived at the Steel Visitor Center in the early afternoon in good spirits, excited for the adventure ahead. The intention was to camp on top of The Watchman peak during the first night, however strong winds dictated that we stop short of the peak and spend the night below. That was fine by us. The nighttime temperature dipped to around 15F and we woke to an uncomfortable chill in the air as clouds rushed by through the trees. This gave way to sunshine that warmed our faces and spirits alike. Each day, the temperature would climb into the 40s making for very comfortable travel with little to no wind.
We learned some new skills concerning longer days of travel while using our Alpine Touring ski setup. One being the transition of taking off our skins and sticking them in our pack belt loop when skiing downhill sections. This made for fairly quick and comfortable travel. We were able to take advantage of many miles of downhill sections which sped up our travel. Day two mileage was in the 12mi range. Once we got past the north junction road which is at mile 7, the experience began to feel truly like wilderness. Day three saw us cover 15mi and ski some absolutely amazing downhill terrain on one of the rim peaks.
It had been our intention to ski some of the rim peaks as we went. However, because of little sleep and wanting a casual experience, we skipped some of the earlier objectives, opting for staying to the road the majority of the time. Then on the third day, Micah spotted a nearby peak that appeared to have amazing lines of wide open terrain and good elevation change. We climbed the peak which included probably 5 false summits, eventually arriving at one of the most beautiful overlooks of the entire park. After a quick lunch, we peeled skins and let rip as we descended the peak all the way back to the road. These downhill runs in the backcountry are so rewarding and fun and always leave a huge grin and a longing for more!
Once back on the road, we enjoyed several more miles of downhill which allowed us to cover 15 on that third day. Little did we realize, there were only 2.3mi left to the car! The morning of our 4th day saw us arrive at the car after just 45min of skiing, making for a casual day of driving back to Bend and eventually Portland. The weather was absolutely perfect for the whole time we were there, which definitely isn’t a given. I remember prior trips during the same dates that included blizzard type conditions. There is such a sense of tranquility and peace when in the backcountry during snow cover. It allows one to escape the majority of people and experience the place in quiet solitude. After many years of snow camping in the backcountry, I’ve grown to feel comfortable with the travel and routine found on these trips. Each time, I return with a feel of satisfaction and appetite for more in the future. I’m very thankful for a safe and enjoyable time at one of my favorite places in Oregon.
-Chris
Early evening light washes across The Watchman and Hillman Peaks. Zeiss 50mm