We were still staring after him when a woman of similar age approached. All that day we followed this pair's tracks, in awe. Where the sun had melted gaps in downhill slopes they had skied across pumice rather than stop to walk. Trudging behind these superhuman seniors, we felt very young indeed. The endearing nutcrackers have been known to steal sandwiches out of visitors' hands.
Avalanches are a serious hazard on certain slopes at Crater Lake.
Check the Forest Service's Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center, on the Web, about the current danger level. The trek around Crater Lake cannot be taken lightly. Only attempt the trip with a knowledgeable group equipped for route-finding, snow camping, and repairing equipment in severe winter conditions. Skiers setting off on the unplowed, 33-mile Rim Drive find no shelters along the way, and no shortcuts back. Dizzying thousand-foot cliffs block all access to the lake itself.