We drove out the Cascades Lake Scenic Highway -- and drove south far enough to get some clear air. We camped lakeside at Cultus Lake -- a beautiful place and we watched a bald eagle while we had breakfast coffee. Then drove on, this time to Diamond Lake, nestled between Mt Baldy and Mt Theilsen, about 15 miles north of Crater Lake. What a beautiful place!! The Forest Service Campground was amazing: huge sites, boat launch, running water & flush toilets, fish cleaning building and free hot showers. And they were hot. It was a great find (we were not alone: even with half the campground closed for the season we guess there were 60 others camping!!).
I had this idea to ride our bikes around the Rim Drive of Crater Lake. You know, that beautiful lake and the lazy road around it. NOT! At the entrance kiosk we picked up a sheet about cycling in the Park. A bit about the elevation (between 6500-7500 feet) and the narrow roads and steep drop offs. OK. And that nasty note about climbing....turns out on the 33 mile road we had 3800 feet of climbing. Yeah and 3800 feet of downhill. And it was one or the other. Nothing level. UP or DOWN. Long stretches of UP or DOWN. We were engaged with the scenery for awhile...and then it just was a slog. I think it was the hardest 1 day ride I've done.
But yeah, it was a beautiful lake.
From Diamond Lake we are heading back to California.
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| Always Lovely, Crater Lake. The Photo Taking STOPPED as the ride went on! |
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| Mt Theilsen by Diamond Lake. Campground is at lake edge. |
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