DEC 10 1921 
CRATER LAKE , OREGON 187 
\the cliffs are broken clown considerably and are covered wher¬ 
ever there is opportunity with graceful lir trees. A difficult 
climb of one thousand feet from the camp ground brings us to 
the summit of Cathedral Rock. The view from this point is 
perhaps the finest of an)'' about the lake. 
To descend the deep and tortuous trail from the camp to the 
level of the lake gives a better realization of the height and 
steepness of the walls. Particularly interesting is a ride upon 
the surface of the lake. There are no boats, but a rude raft 
can be constructed of logs which will permit of short excursions 
along the shore in the quiet morning hours. In this way, fol¬ 
lowing the shore to the eastward, we come upon the Phantom 
Ship, one of the remarkable curiosities of the lake. It is an 
island formed by a jagged ridge of lava projecting above the 
water to the north of Dutton Cliffs. With the trees projecting 
from its sharp crest, it presents a remarkable likeness to a tur- 
reted battleship. 
Features of interest exist all about the lake, but these cannot 
be visited until boats are available. The wonderful blueness of 
the water, whether viewed from the top of the cliffs or from a 
raft upon its surface, continually attracts attention and arouses 
admiration. Although the water is of great purity there are no 
fish in it and but little life of any kind. There are no surface 
outlets, for the lowest points upon the rim are more than five 
hundred feet above the water. It is probable that the extremely 
limited drainage together with the precipitation upon the sur¬ 
face of the lake nearly or quite balances the evaporation ; 
although it is thought that there may be an underground outlet. 
The lowest points in the rim are formed by the valleys of Sun 
and Sand creeks. The topographic features of these valleys, 
together with the moraines and glacial scratches upon some of 
the highest portions of the rim of the crater, show clearl)'' that 
when they were formed a great mountain must have existed over 
the present lake. Glacial scratches exist upon the outer slope of 
the rim but not upon the inner. The two valleys referred to 
were truncated at the time of the falling in of the mountain. 
One can walk up either of them upon a gentle grade until 
stopped by the precipitous walls of the crater. 
Crater Lake lies there in the heart of the Cascades in all its 
primitive beaut)'' and grandeur. Fit companion is this wonder¬ 
ful lake for the Yosemite Valley and the Yellowstone Park, and 
there can be no question but that in time Crater Lake will be¬ 
come as much appreciated as the other two are at the present 
time. 
Berkeley, Cal. 
