KLAMATH COUNTY, Ore. — In this week's "Let's Get Out There," we head to Oregon's Crater Lake National Park for a snowshoe outing.
Well, it wasn’t the trip we envisioned when we decided to take "Let’s Get Out There" to Oregon’s Crater Lake National Park. That’s why when you plan an outdoor adventure, it’s always good to have a plan B.
After a mid-March snowstorm, the gate was closed just three miles short of the Rim Village Visitor Center. I was so disappointed I could have melted.
Luckily, I was able to link up with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures for a morning snowshoe tour. Our plan was to trudge around the crater enjoying the iconic views, but nature had other ideas.
However: Brady Johnson and Cory Brooksher are guides with Sky Lakes. A little snow can’t discourage these guys from getting out there.
“If you want to get outdoors and see the world, this is where you want to be,” Brooksher said, “regardless of if you're looking at a lake or not. The one thing I'll say is you're not going to see your future staring at your toes. Be out looking at the world!”
Inches of fresh snow meant the three of us were forced to break the shin-deep trail ourselves. On the bright side, we had the trail to ourselves.
Most of the time, people from all over the world come to take in Oregon’s lone national park and marvel at the deepest lake (over 1,900 feet deep) in the United States. You’re familiar with the postcard views — but seeing it in person is next level.
Johnson shared a couple photos of Crater Lake just days after our snowy slog.
“You can see Wizard Island; you can see the Ghost Ship Island, which is a little rock formation that looks like a ghost ship during the day. You can get a good view of the lake as long as there's no fog,” said Johnson.
If you’d rather wait for the snow to melt, Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures offers kayaking trips at area rivers and lakes. Until then, it’s not always about the view.
“There's nothing better than being out here with a couple people,” Johnson said. “The hardest thing is just making the effort to go outside.”
"Let's Get Out There" airs once a week on KGW's 4 p.m. newscast and "The Good Stuff," which airs Monday-Thursday at 7 p.m. We're including viewer photos for this series. You can text your photos to 503-226-5088 or post them on the KGW Facebook page.