August 14, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Along rim of Crater Lake
Miles: 14 miles

Adrian: We hiked into Crater Lake National Park, our 5th of the trip, and made our way to Mazama Village. Here we collected our resupply box, had a beer and organized our food for the next 84 miles to Shelter Cove Resort, where our next box will be. We also ate at an all-you-can-eat breakfast, took showers and did laundry.

We thanked Moonpie for caching some water for us on the rim, thus cutting about 7 miles out of the 25-mile waterless section coming up. After that we hiked up to the rim.

This park is amazing. A bunch of us stealth camped right on the rim and enjoyed one of the best sunsets we've seen yet at the same time the full moon rose over the lake. One of the best nights on the trail yet!

Kirsten: I'm not sure if it was humming along to Bolero with Lorenzo, Lil' Wrangler, Adrian and Don't Panic or our campsite overlooking the Crater Lake. Maybe it was the sky with its charcoal wisps of clouds that slowly turned orange and then gold. Or the nearly full moon that rose over the east rim and cast its shadow over the lake below. Hell, maybe it was the wine. Whatever it was I could say this has been one of my best days on the trail.

It started with our arrival early this morning to Mazama Village, located within Crater Lake National Park. We hit Annie's Creek restaurant first for the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet. After we had our fill we walked to the camp store where we collected our boxes, took showers and did our laundry.

We hiked the steep 4.5-mile trail up to Rim Village and ate one more meal before setting off again. I had an embarrassing moment at store in Rim Village. I had just showered and washed my clothes so when I was browsing the racks of souvenirs I assumed the funky cheese smell was coming from Lil' Wrangler, who was nearby. He turned to me and asked if it was him that smelled and it was then we realized that both of us reeked. It seems that all of us including Adrian are suffering from moldy backpack straps. This is a new development and after 1,800 miles shouldn't be a surprise. Still I was shocked and disgusted by my stinky shoulders.

We left the overpriced cafe at Rim Village and hiked for a few hours until we discovered a camp spot located on a saddle overlooking the rim. We cracked our Gatorade bottles filed with wine and took in the views - first to the east where Crater Lake lay below us and then to the west as the sun lit up the clouds as it sank into the horizon.