The depression along the rim visible toward the left side of the picture is Sun Notch, described in more detail below. Ironically, although it has been known as Crater Lake for nearly 100 years, there is no crater here, caused by impact from an object such as a meteor, but rather a caldera, formed by the collapse of Mt. Mazama. The highest point along the eastern rim of the lake is Cloudcap at 8070 feet, about 2000 feet above the lake surface. Excellent panoramas of the lake can be obtained from the overlook which is located there, such as the one below looking west across the lake. Below is another shot from Cloudcap, looking in a more northerly direction.
Wizard Island is shown in the left portion of the picture.
The loss of water from evaporation and the additions from precipitation are very much in balance, as the level of the lake varies less than 3 feet from year to year. At the southern edge of the lake is the volcanic formation known as the Phantom Ship, seen below in the center of the picture. The high area immediately to the left of the ship is Dutton Cliff at 8106 feet. A tighter shot of the Phantom Ship is shown below. This volcanic formation rises 160 feet above the surface of the lake.