Volcanoes and Creameries

Day 147 - Klamath Falls, OR - Overcast Low 50's:

Today was Ryan's day off from work which was a nice chance for him to hang out with us here in his pseudo hometown of Klamath. We slept in until 10am which was SOOOO nice. I can't remember the last time we slept in and boy have I missed it! I know it sounds silly but all this traveling is exhausting. We were talking about it yesterday because with working you get the weekend to rest and recuperate....with traveling everyday is the same. Again, not complaining too much...just noting that it was GREAT to sleep in!

Once we were up and had our breakfast we made our way to Lava Beds National Park. As we were driving I was surprised to see that we were actually going to California. Klamath is very close to the border and turns out the NP was in Cali. We arrived and made our way to the visitors center. We stopped to take photos at the entrance and low and behold we saw our first tumbleweed! Did I mention it was VERY VERY windy! Ben was excited and was sure to take pictures. We continued to the visitor center to check in and get our free flashlights. Unlike the caverns we have visited in the past, these lava tubes (caves) are not lit with artificial light. Thankfully Ryan had been before and we were prepared with our headlamps and a mag light. He had informed us that the lights they provide weren't that great and he was right!

We spent the afternoon exploring the magnificent caves left behind from lava that flowed during volcanic activity. They are a beautiful...and very sharp. Some of the areas we were traveling in had a clearance of about three feet. We did "duck walking" through these areas. Some of them led to big open rooms while others simply led to dead ends. Our first cave was Mushpot Cave. It was a nice intro to the caves as it was at the visitors center and was well lit. It had guide lights on the floors and also had stops where buttons would light up different features of the caves. Interestingly this one also had a large screen and seating...we're guessing they show documentaries in the summer!

The Golden Dome was our first stop on the cave loop. It got it's name because it has an open area with a golden ceiling (there are any other rooms like this but this one got the name). The gold color is a result of the light reflecting off the water droplets that bead up on a coating of hydrophobic bacteria. It is really pretty.

From Golden Dome we made our way to Hopkins Chocolate Cave. The name is a result of the brown color of the lava coloring the walls. Next up was Blue Grotto which is named for the pale blue-gray portions of the ceiling inside the "Blue Grotto." I didn't see it but Ben managed to find it as Ryan and I made our way out...I think he got some pictures! Catacombs was our next stop. This one made me a bit nervous as the guide said a map of the cave was HIGHLY recommended before entering...the boys though were confident in their navigational abilities. Those consisted of taking rights all the way until we couldn't then going left and working back from that! Well as you can tell we made it out and the cave was spectacular. I would love to have a map and spend some more time in this one!

Continuing on the loop we arrived at Ovis and Paradise Alleys. These were nice because you could walk in one and it connected to the other. There were some great balconies that allowed for some neat views in this one. Leaving here we stopped at the Natural Bridge for some photos before making our last stop on the loop at Sentinel Cave. This one was AWESOME. It was huge and again allowed us to enter at one end and exit at the other. It was without a doubt my favorite!

After exiting the loop we returned to the visitors center to give back our lights. We then ventured to Skull Cave. It's named for the bones of antelope and mountain goats, bighorn sheep skulls, and two human skeletons found inside. It is a remnant of two lava tubes, one on top of each other. It allows cold winter air to be trapped inside creating a year-round ice floor on the lower level. We made our way down but unfortunately we couldn't get very close to the ice because they have it closed for restoration. With so many people traveling in, the ice is not as clear as it used to be and the park service wants to make sure it is around and available for generations to come! It was still neat to see and think that they used to have ice skating parties here!!

From Skull Cave we made our way to Fleener Chimney's. These are spatter cones which were created when globs of hot molten lava piled on top of each other. There are actually holes in each chimney one of which goes about fifty feet down. We were reading that not too long ago they had to clean the holes out because people were throwing things in to try and see how deep they were! So much trash that they took out thirty-five TONS one bucket at a time! Needless to say they appreciate people not throwing things down the holes! These chimney's are the source of the flow called The Devil's Homestead which we saw as we entered the park! The eruption occurred between 2,000 and 8,000 years ago.

The last stop of the day was at Captain Jack's Stronghold. The boys took the trip while I waited in the truck. I was both a bit tired and a bit cold and the area didn't really interest me all that much. Here's what I found for information on the National Park Service Website: "A walk through Captain Jacks Stronghold is a unique experience just waiting to happen. The spirit of the Modoc People can still be found there. Think of the courage it took for them to endure the winter of 1872-73 after their village and winter food supplies had been burned by the army. Please walk the trail with respect and with an open heart. Enter the medicine circle reverently, as you would enter your own church. Let the spirits of the winds, the rocks, and the animals speak to you of past events, as they have always spoken to the indigenous peoples. Listen for their silent voices. The traditional culture of an entire people was lost here, yet a modern culture of their descendants still survives. Don't be surprised if you find prayer ribbons or sage offerings hanging on the prayer tree near the junction of the two trails. Feel free to offer your own. The spirituality of the Modoc Stronghold permeates the whole region and captures the hearts of many visitors, calling them back year after year." (http://www.nps.gov/archive/labe/content/INTERP_To_Do_Captjack.htm, March 27, 2010)

We returned to Klamath Falls and made our way to The Creamery Brewpub and Grill for dinner and drinks. While there a few of Ryan's friends showed up and we enjoyed some time relaxing. It was a pretty nice place. Lots of comfortable seating and big televisions. After we "closed the place down" at 9:45pm we headed to Fred Meyers to grab a Redbox. We are now hanging at the apartment watching The Hurt Locker. Tomorrow is a "day off" as it is supposed to rain all day...then off to...well we're not sure yet but we'll keep you posted!