Crater Lake



Crater Lake, Delaware Water Gap (1/19/2008)

A closed road forced us to regroup. We had planned on starting a lollipop from the AT where it crosses Blue Mountain Lakes Road in the DWG area. We planned on heading NE on the AT from there, looping around Crater Lake, visiting Hemlock Pond, and then hiking back to the car. But Blue Mountain Lakes Road was open only as far as the parking area for Blue Mountain Lakes. So, we parked there, and walked east along the closed part of the road, picked up the AT where it crossed the road (where we intended on parking), hiked the AT and Crater Lake trail (orange-blazed) on the western side of the lake, and then headed north on the orange-blazed Hemlock Pond trail to Hemlock Pond, returning to the car via a zig-zag of cross-country ski paths in Blue Mountain Lakes area.

I'm not sure how long it was but it took us a bit over 4 hours (not including lunch).

(Click on the thumbnail to bring up a bigger image in a pop-up window)


The road's closed! [Photo by Laura]

Undeterred with our Yaktrax


Gate across road farther east



Deer tracks were all over


Snow on rock field

 

Finally, the AT

This is where we should have parked


AT registry
 


Reading the entries



 





 


Long Pine Pond through trees

Frozen pond on AT


Striking cracks
 


Crater Lake trail looking east

Frozen swamp


 


Western end of Crater Lake trail

Back on the AT

Clearing our lunch seats

 


Our lunch spot

View west from AT


 



View of Crater Lake from western overlook

Crater Lake [photo by Laura]

Crater Lake
 



Crater Lake

Near beginning of Hemlock Pond trail

Hemlock Pond from trailhead
 


On Hemlock Pond trail

Hemlock Pond

Crack in ice

Hemlock!
 


Hemlock Pond

More hemlocks

Another frozen swamp

 



[Photo by Laura]


 




Laura's trusty shoes and Yaktrax

Blue Mountain Lake
 


Blue Mountain Lake

Blue Mountain Lake

Beavers were here!

Beaver lodge on lake
 

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