And The ADVENTURE Continues...: July 6, 2015 Trip and hike to Wizard’s Island

Monday, July 6, 2015 Trip and hike to Wizard’s Island

Happy Birthday to our nephew, John.

Today is our trip to Wizard’s Island. It starts in Cleetwood Cove with a hike down to the only access to the water of Crater Lake which stays from 38 degrees to 59 degrees all year. It is a 1.1 mile descent and drops 700 feet, then we take a ½ hour boat ride to the island. We stay on the island for 3 hours and then come back. The boys are hoping to catch some fish and we are going to just read and watch.

Well the trail down wasn’t too bad. It was wide enough for 2 people to walk side by side. The boat ride cooled us off but the first view of the dock at Wizards Island was a shock. We had asked earlier if there were some place to sit and was told that there were plenty of rocks and logs to sit on. Well….. they were correct but it was lava rock and very hard to sit on. As for the logs there were not too many near the restrooms. So Amy and I found a halfway decent spot to read while the boys hiked over the hill to the other side to catch some fish. The boat was coming for us in 3 hours. The boys showed up about 30 minutes before the boat arrived and we made our way down to the docks. They did catch 2 good size rainbow trout but wanted to get one more. They put their lines in and Jeff caught another trout which gave us plenty for dinner just as the boat was docking. What timing!!!

We got back to the other dock and started to make our way up the 1.1 mile hike back to the top. Jeff went ahead of us as he had to get the fish on ice which was in one car. The information board at the start of the hike does recommend that people with heart, walking or breathing issues should not attempt this trail. Amy and I are pretty strong willed women. Amy, with her walking disability and me with my asthma. It took us 2 hours to make it back to the top but we did it!!!! We took our time stopped when needed and kept reminding ourselves how crazy we where. But how many people can say that they were on a volcanic island inside another volcano.

We got back to the campsite pretty tired but Jeff had already cleaned the fish and was getting to start grill. They all looked the same on the outside but one fish was pink inside. Steelhead trout maybe? Upon research we found out that rainbow and the steelhead trout are the same species. Rainbow trout stay in fresh water where as the steelhead stays in the ocean and then comes into fresh. We alos found that rainbow can have white, pink or orange flesh

We all retired early.