There and Back Again: A Geologist's Journey to Wizard Island in Caldera Lake National Park, Oregon 

Hey team. Hope everyone knows I was mostly kidding about changing the lake’s name. It doesn’t bug me as much as I let on, just something fun to stir the pot about. If there was a change, I’d advocate for the name used by native peoples.

If only one could of seen that mountain before the collapse. And heard the sound when it did collapse. Thank you Shawn for the history. What a beautiful place.

Beyond scenery, the Grand Source of many rivers, a real place to connect with, and good facts, Crater Lake a divine Source.

Quite the view, seeing Crater Lake from the summit of Wizard Island. As far as an appropriate name, my vote would be ' Mazama Caldera National Park.'

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SO the park is not named for the caldera but for the crater that is on Wizard Island. Interesting, very interesting indeed. Glad to know you can mark of a bucket list item. You have some cool bucket list locations.

I used to watch Nick Zentner, now I watch you. I like how you describe things that anyone can understand.

Wizard Island was created after Mount Mazama, a large complex volcano, erupted violently approximately 7,700 years ago, forming its caldera which now contains Crater (Caldera 😁) Lake . Following the cataclysmic caldera-forming eruption, which left a hole about 4,000 feet deep where the mountain had once stood, a series of smaller eruptions over the next several hundred years formed several cinder cones on the caldera floor. The highest of these cones, the only one to rise above the current lake level, is Wizard Island, which rises over 2,700 feet above the lowest point on the caldera floor and the deepest point in the lake. Another large cinder cone, Merriam Cone, is in the northeast part of the lake. Although Merriam Cone rises about 1,400 feet above the caldera floor, its summit is still 505 feet below the average lake level. Its surface features and lack of a crater indicate that Merriam Cone formed under water

They called it Crater Lake to magnify the attraction and bring in tourism. It sounds more attractive and familiar than Caldera. Yes, it certainly is deceiving. But they're never going to change the name. Its all about $$ I've been there. I'm from the east coast and a friend took me there but not on the trail. I don't think he knew there was a trail. But I sure wish he did. Because I missed a lot. Thanks for educating me, After all these years I never knew about it. I was there about 15 years ago. It was absolutely beautiful. The blue color is unbelievable an incredible!. Thanks for the tour....😉

wonderful scenery. absolutely jaw dropping

Caldera Lake are is exquisite! Thank You

Ahh I could feel the cold… Cauldera lake is sure beautiful. Thanks Shawn

Thanks, Shawn, for an excellent video with a cool ending! 🥶😄

Thank you Professor Willsey!

Thanks for the tour. I always wanted to hike to top of Wizard Island in Caldera Lake National Park.

Thanks!

Beautiful scenery

That landscape is absolutely mindblowing, just seeing it from the video. How much more awesome must it be experiencing it in real life? Thanks for these amazing images, Shawn! Concerning Crater Lake: Maybe you could fill the crater on Wizard Island with water and then point out that you now have a crater lake within a crater lake. And that this kind of absurdity has to be resolved, for instance by renaming the 'big' Crater Lake into Caldera Lake. ;-)

You're right, it's a caldera. But just try getting a whole bunch of people to change even a slight pronunciation of any word! Thanks Shawn. This beautiful lake and its geological history have always fascinated me. I haven't made it there yet. The state of Oregon belongs to my daughter, in case anyone needs to know. She claimed it. She wants me to visit the place but it's hers. I can keep Utah, she says. That's fine.

Wow, great video, thank you Professor Shawn

My new favorite video of yours. Agree with your quest to rename it Caldera Lake.🌋

Excellent geo-ed adventure. Thx Prof. ✌🏻

Came here when i was like 10 and had no clue of the significance of this Caldara. Thanks

Sir, thank you for showing beautiful American nature. Best wishes from Poland.

Yup the trail is steep . That's why you see so many benches at all the bends. Great cardiology and Buns of Steel workout going back uphill.

Another good video. Thank you.

I've always been curious about Crater Lake, thank you so much for the very informative video. It's wonderful to get such a close=in look. Too bad about all the dead trees though.

The dip in the lake was fun to watch. Ice cold no doubt!

Okay, I am totally on board (no boat-pun intended) with your geologic peeve. I tend to enjoy or approve of precision in description, understanding is more enlightening and more fun than obscuring ignorance-

I’ve been there only once when I was just six years old but I remember being there and looking at the perfectly still water on that day was surreal.

Thanks! For hiking up for the view…so we don’t have to🤣. Russian judge scores a generous 2.0 on the dive…

What a view top of the world MOM thank you stay safe

I was there back in 1988, but it was a brief visit. I had read all about this place when I was a little kid, and it was one of the things that first got me interested in Geology and Earth History. So I had to go have a gander when I was in the general vicinity, even though we only had time to drive up to it, get out and have a look, and leave. I did not know about that shuttle, or I would have gone to the island. Now I have to go back!

I jumped into a pool in a mountain stream in Wales, late August one year (maybe 1980 ?). I swear my heart stopped for a few seconds !! Couldn't move or even breath. 🏊‍♂

I think you’re right about the nomenclature. How about calling it Mt. Mazama Lake or Mazama Lake or Mazama Caldera Lake +National Park of course. What name did or do the indigenous people have for the Lake?

와.. 풍경이 끝내주네요

Spectacular place, both the Island and Caldera lake. I think in general terms Crater implies any type of pit though of course for geology fans that is not the case. However I agree that the general public on knowing the volcano had colapsed in on itself leaving behind that enormous Caldera would create in the observer a true appreciation. .....Shawn, the water must have been cold, the lake being so deep and snow melt fed. Still it would have freshed you up for the hike back to the top. Well done !

Thanks Shawn. The most terrifying place I’ve ever been. My dad, a geophysicist brought me there to share natural inspiration and truth. The “old lady’s “ homestead that got wiped out in the current eon earthquakes shake me to this day. Thanks🌲⚕️🪶

I agree, accuracy is valuable - we should rename to "Caldera lake". :).

There's a nice little 15-foot cliff at Cleetwood Cove where you can jump into the very cold waters.

I was there 20 years or so ago and did the boat tour, but didn't stop a Wizard Island. Thanks for showing it to us. BTW, where is "The Old Man" now?

I rode with friends in 1998 on our motorcycles in August. Got up to visitor center just before closing. Asked a Ranger about camping. He said you do not want to camp up here as the temps will be 34 degrees F. So we rode up to Diamond Lake.

Fun, Shawn, and funny. 🥶 I appreciate the notes on screen. Very curious how so MUCH ash was thrown out. Were there several eruptions? Shall Wizard Island be renamed as well? 😎

Geologists of the world, unite! (btw, didn't see a wizard on the island either) Thanks for the invigorating finale.

Shawn I believe throwing a nod to the native Klamath peoples here as they call it Lake Gii-was , meaning a sacred place. It still could be called Caldera Lake National Park. Of note a parasitic plant called Dwarf Mistletoe killed off all those trees on Wizard Island. Sure gives it a foreboding look to the whole area.

As a " fugitive" ( with no victim) i thank you for what I will never see. even though I lived in Sprague River

If we change the name to Caldera Lake, then my refrigerator magnets will be null and void.

At least Crater Lake is not named after a politician.

The original Woodstock Concert in 1969 was held in Bethel, NY, not Woodstock, NY. I first saw Crater Lake with my family in 1959 or 1960. Yes, it is a caldera. Many modern physicists believe Benjamin Franklin misnamed electrical charge polarities, i.e. - the electron should have been assigned a positive charge due to the direction of current flow. Sometimes it's hard to change mistakes that have been embedded themselves in the culture so long. Shawn, your journey vids are fantastic. Don't change your style or energy.

Mt. Mazama National Park makes more sense to me. But it's only a name. "I don't care what you call me so long as you call me to dinner". Thanks for the vid.

❤

I agree with your peeve. Caldera is all correct, informative and challenging to any who might otherwise not care. The park is federal, so a renaming requires effort targeted in that direction. Not sure how I can help. Love the video! Just sayin'.

What an amazing place! We get nothing like this in the UK on this kind of scale. Why are so many trees dead on the island? Any ideas?

The light coloured eruptive rocks show the high explosivity.

Crater Lake is fine, there’s a crater in the lake. 😁 I’ll see myself out…

caldera: late 17th century: from Spanish, from late Latin caldaria ‘boiling pot’. crater: early 17th century (denoting the hollow forming the mouth of a volcano): via Latin from Greek kratēr ‘mixing-bowl’, from krasis ‘mixture’.

5:54 I'm not sure I like the ring of "Caldera Lake" much better. It's serviceable, but since it was once Mt. Mazama, what's wrong with calling it _Lake_ Mazama, or Mazama Lake? Are there any other lakes we know of named Mazama? Yes -- as it turns out there IS a Mazama Lake - in Washington. But I hardly classify it as a lake; it's more like a pond than a lake. Kinda wimpy.

Hi. How does the lake water volume reach equilibrium to the depth it is? How old is the lake? Thanks.

10:22 You're a better man than I. Ain't no way I'm jumping into water that cold.

Just dropped by to say I really enjoy your videos! I've been a geology enthusiast since I was a kid growing up in SoCal, wondering why the earth occasionally moved under my feet. I have a question about Crater/Caldera lake - any possibility of a limnic eruption ever happening there?

My vote is for "Sploded Volcano National Park."

I never knew this was a volcanic feature. Earlier schooling taught it was caused by a meteor, unless I was entirely asleep. Thank you for the correction.

When British Cpt. Robert Gray explored the Columbia River and Puget Sound, he and his first officer named Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood and Mt. Baker after British naval officers, Mt. St. Helens was named after a British Ambassador. It’s time to restore all of the Cascade volcanoes to their rightful native American names. Rainier= Tahoma, Baker= Koma Kulshan, Glacier= Dakobed, St. Helens= Loowit, Adams= Pahto, Hood= Wy’east, Jefferson= Seekseekqua, Three Sisters= Sahalie, Mazama= Giiwas, McGloughlin= M'laiksini Yaina, Shasta= Waka-nunee-Tuki-wuki and Lassen= Kohm Yah-mah-nee.

90' deep, 300' across. Super Collossal Ultra-plinian eruption 7700 years ago

it's supposed to have been named for the crater in Wizard island not for the caldera. :)

The golden-mantle ground squirrels on Wizard Island are a little too friendly.

.i agree

Random: My son walked in while I was watching this, and said you look like a famous game developer named Jonathan Blow. I looked him up, and my son is right: You _do_ look like Jonathan Blow.

Well, if the rock falls on the west rim continue and fill in, it will no longer be appropriate to call it "Wizard Island". it will then be "Wizard Peninsula" within "Caldera Lake"

I read it has active venting around wizard island underwater. How watched is the area by a geologist or is risk not enough?

Okay! Caldera lake it is

Would have liked to see the boat and docks better. Is there a low point around the lake that allows access for a boat???

How about Mazama Lake? Like Yellowstone lake, etc.

It should be called Mount Mazama caldera lake

Anybody know how much the boat costs? And if you need to pre-register for it?

I have heard that the folks who named it Crater Lake were actually referring to the crater on Wizard Island. I can envision arriving somewhere along the western rim on a somewhat cloudy day, where the most obvious thing to first catch one's eye as they look down is the spiffy little cone with the crater on top. Nevertheless, I can't support a name change - unless the new name highlights the incredible blue color of the water.

How deep is the lava flow that heads to the shoreline of Caldera lake?

🤪😜😂 I’ll happily continue to call it Crater Lake. Mazama is Goat, (name of the mountain), so you could argue to call it Goat Lake National Park. But it was called a crater long before a scientist theorized (and proved?) that it was a caldera, and not just a super huge blown out crater. I believe it to be both, so am content to retain the name as is.

Sir, may I ask an off topic question? Is there any way to know what percentage of all rocks have been eroded away since the Hadean Period? Is there a way to estimate what percent of all rocks are being eroded away annually?

Rename Shawn Willsey. Its a pet pev of mine!

Because of alliteration, Crater Lake is a better name than Caldera Lake-also because it's easier to remember.

Captured water filled the caldera and there is no exit to it and water is still falling, so is the lake gaining level every year?

Caldera lake being so recent - are there any First Nation indigenous stories that survive of the event?

I agree with changing the name to Caldera Lake. But I would also like to know why they call cinder cones "Buttes"?

Good luck on that. I know it is not your department, but did you see any small mammals on Wizard Island?

Why didn’t they name it Mazama Lake? (I’m from across the Atlantic; probably this was debated long ago).

Why isn’t wizard island’s crater filled with water? I think it’s elevation difference, but is it that simple?

One question, can this still erupt in the future? Or is it extinct?

What do you call meteor crater in Arizona

I’m not a geologist, so crater lake still sounds better. Calderas don’t usually look like craters!

thats a deep lake i think its about 1900 ft deep

Did those pine trees die because of a steam or toxic gas eruption from that vent in the recent past? How often does it "vent"? IOW, how much of a risk is a person taking to be on that island? I am thinking of those people who went sightseeing in New Zealand a few years back and got a steam bath. The real kind I mean.

How about Mt Mazama Lake?

Hmmm . . . gets me to thinkin' . . . "Cones/Caves of the Moon National Monument" . . .

Any fish?

Here's my two cents worth. I always associate craters with asteroids, or bombs. Something went in to make the hole. That leads to something I don't have an answer for: What to call the hole in the top of the volcano. Vent? Pit? I donno. 😕 I don't really care for Caldera Lake. I'd rather call it Lake Mazama. Also there is a dispute (but not a bad one) about the depth of the lake. It is acknowledged that it is the deepest lake in the US. But the National Park Service says it's 1943 feet deep. Wikipedia says it's 2,148 feet deep. I get the title of this video! Did you see Gollum or Gandalf? Find a magic ring? 😉

Crater in Lake old native name

You are tilting at windmills. La Mancha has the same chance for renaming to caldera.But I am kidding as I hope you are too.

Professor Willsey, Two questions: 1. Why is Wizard Island so severely displaced to the west side of the caldera rather than squarely in the center, as one would expect from relapse of the collapse of Mt. Mazama? 2. Why are most of the trees along the rim not only dead, but stripped bare of bark as though once submerged?

Naw Crator Lake is fine. If the name is changed it should go to the Indian name .