Crater+Lake

= Crater Lake =

By Jessie Klinck and Nina Craven
= = __ Introduction :__ Crater Lake is a national park in the Umpqua National Forest in Oregon. 3 It is the deepest lake in America, and 7th deepest in the World. 2 The water is very fresh, and the air around it is the cleanest in the nation. 2 There are over 90 miles of hiking trails around the lake, which allow people to admire the lake and experience its views. 2 The topography around the lake is fairly steep once you get close to the lake, and extremely steep (cliffs) surround the lake. 6 As you approach the lake from a distance there is a slight incline, which increases the closer you get to the lake. 6 In the lake, the bottom is fairly flat except for Wizard Island, which is its own cinder cone volcano, so it becomes steeper the closer it is to the top. 6



__ Geologic History :__[[image:crater_lake_aerial.jpg width="347" height="248" align="right"]]
Crater Lake formed when Mount Mazama, a composite cone, collapsed from an explosive, felsic, eruption 4. Mount Mazama was created from a oceanic-continental convergent-subduction boundary. 8 Mount Mazama was created from a oceanic-continental convergent-subduction boundary. 8 For more about the formation of Crater Lake, there is a video explaining it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Eq-xBvLqXs&feature=fvst 1 As well as being on a subduction boundary, Crater Lake is near the West Klamath Lake fault zone. Another feature seen at Crater Lake are "U" shaped valleys called glacial troughs which were formed by glacial erosion as Mount Mazama was being formed. 8 Along with the valleys, many people come to see Crater Lake's unique steep cliffs, and Wizard Island, the smaller cinder cone inside the volcano 1. The bedrock lying underneath Crater Lake is igneous rock because it was formed by volcanic activity and cooling magma. This means it also has pyroclastics within the rock. 8

__ Climate and Weather History :__ Snow shapes the landscape (snow from October-June) 3, with the average amount of yearly snowfall being 533 inches. 3 The average winter temperature is 35ºF. 3 Crater Lake is particularly snowy because snow in the Cascade Mountains is very common, and Crater Lake happens to be in one of the one of the snowiest ares is the Northwest. 3 Summer, on the other hand, has warm days and cool nights with an average of 67º during the day and below freezing during the night. 3 Despite the weather patterns, people should prepare for any type of weather all year. The climate at Crater Lake is in a highland climate because it is part of the Cascade Mountains located near the west coast that have a high altitude, causing the weather to have extreme winters and warm summers. 8 The climate here is not really experiencing very much change, for the average temperature has not shifted greatly, and there is still a significant amount of snowfall each year. 3

__Biomes:__ Crater Lake is a part of the Alpine biome, which explains its harsh winters and warm summers. While visiting Crater Lake, it is possible to see the Mountain Goat, which has adapted to this biome by having having hooved feet to grip onto the rock, if you travel to Crater Lake. 7 You may also see bears, which have adapted to this biome because they hibernate to avoid the harsh winters. 7 The Alpine Phacilia can be found here, and adapted to this biome by being able to grow on rock, or wooded places in the mountains. 7 Another plant you may see is Bear Grass, which adapted to this biome by having long leaves to grow over the other plants to help it collect sunlight. 7

__Human Impact:__ In the summer, there are frequent lightning storms that people in the park should be cautious about. 3 Travelers are told to try to leave as little impact as possible on the park. 3 Even though the volcano is dormant, one should still take caution around Crater Lake because it is suggested that this volcanic center is likely to erupt again. 4

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__Sources__:

1. "Crater Lake (lake, Oregon, United States) -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia." //Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia//. Britannica Encyclopedia, 2010. Web. 08 June 2010. .

2."Crater Lake National Park - National Geographic." //Travel &Cultures -- National Geographic//. National Geographic, 1996-2010. Web. 08 June 2010. .

3. "Crater Lake National Park (U.S. National Park Service)." //U.S. National Park Service - Experience Your America//. U.S National Park Service. Web. 08 June 2010. .

4. Diggles, Michael. "Mount Mazama and Crater Lake: Growth and Destruction of a Cascades Volcano." //USGS Publications Warehouse//. U.S Geological Survey, 27 Sept. 2002. Web. 08 June 2010. .

5. Hill, Steve. "Google Image Result for Http://www.steephill.tv/galleries/2005/crater-lake/crater1a.jpg."// Crater Lake National Park, Oregon: Cycling the Rim - June 24 2005//. Steep Hill .tv, 24 June 2005. Web. 08 June 2010. .

6. Malmberg, Julie. "Google Image Result for Http://www.colorado.edu/geography/class_homepages/geog_3251_sum/05_crater_lake_caldera.jpg."// Google//. Mountain Geography 3251. Web. 08 June 2010. .

7. Schaffner, Brynn, and Kenneth Robinson. "Alpine Biome." //Blue Planet Biomes//. 2009. Web. 08 June 2010. .

8. Tarbuck, Edward J., Frederick K. Lutgens, and Dennis Tasa. //Prentice Hall Earth Science//. Boston, Mass.: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2009. Print.