Pretty soon we were at the registration kiosk of the Mazama Campground. Mt. Mazama was once, oh, some 7,700 years ago, a majestic peak towering over everything in this corner of the world. But the core of the earth found its chimney through that giant throat of Mt. Mazama to spew its pressured lava. Over the ions, there had been so much eruption, a mountain blew itself up into smoke, dust, crystals, flames, fire, lava, dancing rocks and burning soil ... a giant mountain emptied itself from within, like an oversexed man. So, it was inevitable that some 7,700 years ago a massive mountain collapsed onto itself. A giant erection became a mammoth hole in earth. And this giant hole became the Crater Lake as mountain springs, rain and snow water collect themselves here through the years. A beautiful body of magnificent blue water stays up high above ground among tall mountains and rocky cliffs. Nature's sex transformation thus has attracted many of us from all corners of the world. What a big deal that transformation was.
Our campground still bears the name of that erstwhile giant that was transformed. This is a nice campground equipped with flush toilets, and shower facilities. The Mazama Village has a store that carries almost everyone a camper needs. The amazing thing is that there are close to 200 campsites here and all of them were well hidden in the dense woods. So, the neighbors don't really bother each other much. It's so quiet and peaceful to sleep in the forest of gorgeous pine trees.