Crater Lake National Park Warnings and Dangers

Crater Lake National Park gets more than its share of snow. The Pacific Northwest is noted for precipitation and the lake's elevation and relative location to northwesterly winds makes for lots of it. The average snowfall is 44 feet per year so it's no wonder that the Rim Road is not open in winter. At this elevation, snow can linger well into summer.

When we arrived in early July 2008 we learned that a third of the Rim Road was still not open for the season due to very high snowfall and an unusually cold spring. Though it made getting around a bit tougher, it was great for us to have so much snow to play in since we live in South Florida and do not get to see it much. Also, it made for some beautiful photos as the peaks ringing the lake were all still heavily covered in the white stuff.

Birds and animals are a part of the natural ecosystem and you are not supposed to feed them. Depencency on human food might lead the animal to not being able to survive the long winter, though, with the abundance of squirrels and Clark nutcrackers at Rim Village, you might think that is a moot point.

This lady is to be excused as she is German and I didn't translate all of the rules to her :-/

The Clark's Nutcracker is a pretty little bird that is probably bolder, in general, thatn even a blue jay, which says quite a lot. They will fly down to your hand in the remotest backcountry to take a nut. Here, in Rim Village, they have no fear whatsoever. But the rules are, you are not to feed them, so if there is a Ranger or Mrclay2000 around, put your gorp away.

This couple is to be excused as they are German and I still did not translate all of the rules! ;-}

Snow can lie across the Rim Drive until very late in the season. Seasons can also change very quickly up here. One day, it will be warm and sunny and the next day, someone turns the switch and winter is back again.

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Please obey all warning signs; they are there for your safety and to protect the park for future visitors. Stay away from the cliffs they sometimes give way.