Crater Lake - A difficult task

We had come this way so that we could see Crater Lake, as it seemed l ike a good idea. What we did not realise is that it is so gobsmackingly awesome. It merits almost every superlative you can come up with.

It is the remains of a volcano, which poured out its basalt innards, then the central cone collapsed down into the space left when the basalt erupted. Over the years the crater that was left filled with water to create a lake. There is no way out so the water just gets deeper until the surface area evaporation equals the reainwater entering.
The end result is an almost circular lake which is 6 miles across, with 1,000ft sheer volcanic cliffs all the way round. The lake is 1900 feet deep, absolutely clear and the deepest blue you can imagine. The overall effect when the road reaches the crater rim is achingly beautiful. You just stand and look and look and look. Photos of course cannot do it justice. It just has to remain in our memory as one of the most beautiful natural wonders we have seen. So beautiful that it is a difficult task to describe it.