After leaving Yosemite Josh and I had some fast, but quite thorough stops in Lake Tahoe then to Crater Lake, OR! Both were wonderful in their own regard and left us wanting more.
We arrived in South Lake Tahoe after leaving Yosemite with just enough time to hit the grocery and settle in for the evening before our “Lake Tahoe in a Day” event tomorrow.
The next day we wanted to soak in as much of Lake Tahoe as possible, so we hoped in Charlie, got a coffee, and headed Northeast around the Lake with our first stop at Spooner Lake. We took the surprisingly chilly 2 mile stroll around the lake before continuing North to Sand Harbor for some stunning lakeside views. Oh, and there were literally people laying out sunbathing… NO THANK YOU. I would not have called it “swimsuit” weather, but maybe that’s just me.
After taking in the views from Sand Harbor we kept traveling north and went through Incline Village and Kings beach before starting our descent south. We headed toward Shirley Lake with a promise of a 5 mile hike up to High Camp to enjoy an ice-cold beer at the café and take the Ariel Tram down. THANK GOODNESS Josh casually mentioned “I hope the tram is still running” as we were sitting at the trail head… a quick google search enlightened us that the café was closed for the season and the tram had shut down ONE WEEK before our arrival.
That news quickly altered our game plan to forgo the 5-mile hike to High Camp since coming down we would have hit a solid 10 miles. Instead we opted to hike the 3 miles to Shirley Lake and then make our way back down for a round trip of 6. We both admittedly wanted to dislike this hike since we were quite bitter about missing the chance to enjoy a cold one at the summit and have a fun ride back down.
Lake Tahoe had different plans because this terrain was fantastic from the trail covered in tree roots to steep granite slabs requiring our hands to pull ourselves up and over, and we actually had a great time.
We polished off our Lake Tahoe escapade with a quick hike down to a smaller than we expected lighthouse in D.L. Bliss state park literally pulling into the park 45 minutes before it closed for the SEASON! We are sure Lake Tahoe brings an entirely different and wonderful experience in the summer months which we may have to check out in the future.
The day after our Lake Tahoe loop we had our longest drive yet with Juanita in toe behind Charlie, said goodbye to California, and pulled into Crater Lake, OR. It is getting COLD… we are NOT in San Diego anymore.
The next day we did a repeat Lake Tahoe-type approach to Crater Lake and did Crater Lake in a day… so much to do and see… and we’re on a time frame! Also, fun facts, Crater Lake is a collapsed volcano which is now filled with some of the most pure water in the US due to no streams or creeks, only water from snow melt and rain, AND it is the deepest lake in the US… crazy!
We started our Crater Lake in-a-day adventure with a hike down to the only water accessible point (Cleetwood Cove) on a dock where the sun was shining and the wind was INTENSE… the wind is literally holding up Josh in the picture as I was hiding behind a little shack after getting blasted by some pebbles ha!
Cleetwood Code was a deceiving little hike because it was chilly… but T-minus 30 minutes later we were onto The Watchman’s Lookout in windy, snowy, icy conditions and we found our first Snowman of the season. Oh… and now the wind is holding me up! We’re sure the views are usually beautiful, but the clouds were so thick we saw… well… white. Quite the change of terrain from our previous hikes… thank GOODNESS I had gloves by now!
We took a pit stop in the gift shop by my request to thaw out a bit before taking on our final 2 hikes, a quick jaunt around Sun Notch for some stunning views, then the longest hike of the day to Garfield Point. We we’re getting cold and tired by now, but the promise of a night’s stay at Crater Lake Lodge with a hot dinner and drink or two was fueling us on. Garfield Peak was amazing to put it lightly. We went from being completely in the clouds and only seeing white to breathtaking views of the lake with crystal blue waters… and a rainbow Josh was skilled enough to photograph down by the water.
After covering 4 hikes in one day spanning just over 10 miles, it was time for a hot shower and nice dinner equipped with a glass of wine by the fireplace at the lodge. The wine was wonderful, dinner was delicious, but we were also so tired and hungry we may not be the best judges here ha!
The next morning, we had to sneak in ONE last hike… Mount Scott… c’mon… how could we NOT do that one in honor of my dad, Mr. Scott himself! Mount Scott is the highest peak in Crater Lake, and it was just under a 5 mile round trip hike… the views did NOT disappoint and check out the thick snow and ice build up on the branches… yikes!
Crater Lake quickly captured our hearts and left us wanting more after our 5 hikes in under 24 hours. So far California treated us well for the first month+ of our journey and Oregon has welcomed us with open arms… just where will we end up next?!
Getting Lost and Eating Cake 
That is my kind of fireplace!!
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