Elevation does make a difference . . . Explore 03-10-2025 #27
After enjoying a sunrise at Maroon Lake, we decided to continue up the valley further to Crater Lake which is located at the base of the Maroon Bells. The walk is about 1.5 miles with an elevation gain of just 500-700 feet, depending on the reference checked . . . but if I were asked then I would have said well over 1000 feet!! Many decades ago, in my physical education class, I vaguely recall the fact that at a higher elevation the oxygen becomes thinner, and more effort is demanded when climbing . . . that info was remembered to pass the test then promptly relegated to the irrelevant memory area of my brain. (please note: where I live - - elevation 1300 feet . . . . Crater Lake - - elevation 10,076 feet) I arrived at Crater Lake sweating while huffing and puffing as the younger generation of hikers passed by wondering to themselves if the old guy was going to make it carrying that 25-pound backpack and large tripod. It was then that that little light went on in my mind . . . what my instructor had said was true . . . elevation DOES make a difference!
Crater Lake was formed by a rockslide that dammed up the valley causing the lake to form. The dry summer had caused the lake level to drop and rather than a nice shoreline to compose the shot, there was a wide muddy bog to the edge of the water with no place to set up. Not to be deterred, I headed to the left scrambling over the usually submerged logs that had been deposited at the southern end of the lake by avalanches or spring runoffs. I finally found a spot with a foreground that might work. The fallen logs in the water were blocking the wind and providing calm waters for reflections. If you look beyond the logs, the water surface has very poor if any reflections. When I began setting up, I was completely alone . . . but when I turned around to leave there were quite a few people spread out behind me. I would like to think they were drawn by the great location I had chosen . . . more likely it was that they were there to see what was going to happen to the old tog walking on the fallen logs in the muddy bog.
These are the Maroon Bells; on the left with the cloud covered summit is South Maroon Peak (14,156 ft) and on the right is North Maroon Peak (14,014 ft). Further right is the eastern face of the Sleeping Sexton. Aspens in their golden autumnal colours can be seen on the slope to the far right. Underneath the water you can see more of the logs that I was dealing with.
In case you were concerned . . . the walk back down to Maroon Lake was a piece of cake!!
Best viewed Large(L)
Elevation does make a difference . . . Explore 03-10-2025 #27
After enjoying a sunrise at Maroon Lake, we decided to continue up the valley further to Crater Lake which is located at the base of the Maroon Bells. The walk is about 1.5 miles with an elevation gain of just 500-700 feet, depending on the reference checked . . . but if I were asked then I would have said well over 1000 feet!! Many decades ago, in my physical education class, I vaguely recall the fact that at a higher elevation the oxygen becomes thinner, and more effort is demanded when climbing . . . that info was remembered to pass the test then promptly relegated to the irrelevant memory area of my brain. (please note: where I live - - elevation 1300 feet . . . . Crater Lake - - elevation 10,076 feet) I arrived at Crater Lake sweating while huffing and puffing as the younger generation of hikers passed by wondering to themselves if the old guy was going to make it carrying that 25-pound backpack and large tripod. It was then that that little light went on in my mind . . . what my instructor had said was true . . . elevation DOES make a difference!
Crater Lake was formed by a rockslide that dammed up the valley causing the lake to form. The dry summer had caused the lake level to drop and rather than a nice shoreline to compose the shot, there was a wide muddy bog to the edge of the water with no place to set up. Not to be deterred, I headed to the left scrambling over the usually submerged logs that had been deposited at the southern end of the lake by avalanches or spring runoffs. I finally found a spot with a foreground that might work. The fallen logs in the water were blocking the wind and providing calm waters for reflections. If you look beyond the logs, the water surface has very poor if any reflections. When I began setting up, I was completely alone . . . but when I turned around to leave there were quite a few people spread out behind me. I would like to think they were drawn by the great location I had chosen . . . more likely it was that they were there to see what was going to happen to the old tog walking on the fallen logs in the muddy bog.
These are the Maroon Bells; on the left with the cloud covered summit is South Maroon Peak (14,156 ft) and on the right is North Maroon Peak (14,014 ft). Further right is the eastern face of the Sleeping Sexton. Aspens in their golden autumnal colours can be seen on the slope to the far right. Underneath the water you can see more of the logs that I was dealing with.
In case you were concerned . . . the walk back down to Maroon Lake was a piece of cake!!
Best viewed Large(L)