The definition of Blue

"Wow!" That's the most common comment heard as someone first approaches the view of Crater Lake from the rim. I said it my self again.

Barbara has been here three times; I have been here twice, and Bill and Dana were here for the first time. Its impact does not lessen with revisits. This is a view that's simply fun to share with other people.
We saw it was going to be a sunny, warm day, so we loaded up on picnic fare and headed up (we staying near Ashland at 1,300ft elevation, and the rim is 7,100 ft.)

Stories and pictures of the deep lake and its famous blue water do not prepare one for their first breathtaking look from the brink of this 6 mile wide caldera which was created by the eruption and collapse of Mt. Mazama almost 7,700 years ago. (Click here for a very nice geological description of this event)
The blue background to the tree branches in the third picture is not the sky - it's the water!
I'm just thankful that there are not a bunch of motels, condos and homes ringing the rim as one sees at places like Lake Tahoe. There are efforts underway to also designate Crater Lake National Park as a "Wilderness Preserve," limiting additional development of campgrounds, hotels, restaurants and other facilities that would otherwise add a bit of comercial air as exist at some of our other national parks. Seems like a good idea to me.