Crater Lake # 2

This picture of Crater Lake was taken at Rim Village at Crater Lake, Oregon.  Crater Lake was once a 12,000 foot growing mountain called Mount Mazama.  This was a result of repeated eruptions of the Volcano 400,000 years ago.  A massive explosion then occurred 7,700 years ago that blasted a huge column of ash skyward, similar of what happened to Mt St Helens in May of 1980, only on a more massive scale.  Pyroclastic (rock fragments) flowed from vents from beneath the explosion area which in turn emptied the magma chamber beneath the mountain causing it to collapse.  Centuries of rain and snowmelt have since filled the sealed basin forming Crater Lake.  One of nature's best work resides here, I'd say!