{"id":5309,"date":"2024-07-21T14:15:37","date_gmt":"2024-07-21T14:15:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/?p=5309"},"modified":"2025-02-03T00:11:00","modified_gmt":"2025-02-03T00:11:00","slug":"the-watchman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/2024\/07\/21\/the-watchman\/","title":{"rendered":"The Watchman"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Saturday, July 20, 2024<\/p>\n<p>I hiked up to The Watchman in Crater Lake National Park on a hot smoky day. <!--more--><\/p>\n<p>I haven&#8217;t been to Crater Lake National Park since I was a kid, I&#8217;m sorry to say. Unfortunately today presented less-than-ideal conditions for visiting the park. This was the view from overlook at the trailhead:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53872369183_1f93a9c8fc_b.jpg\" alt=\"Watchman Overlook\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>There were photographers there to catch the sunrise. Terrible conditions for it, though:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53872120986_2e7d9d6b73_b.jpg\" alt=\"Watchman Overlook\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53872469614_0530a1bdf5_b.jpg\" alt=\"Watchman Overlook\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>View of The Watchman from the trailhead:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53871257777_d8dee07e86_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53872574130_301c54daf9_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I put on my pack and headed for the trail:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53872509044_bf1ddaae29_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>There were some nice western pasqueflower that had gone to seed:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53872508804_b5d8a59a14_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53872161621_271ed6aaca_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53872604282_63915a981c_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The first part of the hike follows the former route of the rim drive:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53872162026_61ea0be36c_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I had read that this snowfield can linger well into summer. It was not hard to hike past today:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53872409748_6df632201a_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53871257097_db3ae61cfb_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Then I turned left off the old road and onto the trail, which switchbacks up the mountain:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53872689158_9d22f0f396_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53873839174_27dc05147d_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I saw some wildflowers:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53872451871_613bdcfc9e_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53873485036_24a7dc1077_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53873893765_402af29723_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53873734388_5142e08e2c_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53873839109_3959132354_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>In short order I reached the old stone and wood lookout, which was built in 1931:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53872864030_616d4f864b_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53872452126_ccf7b99879_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53873830439_e2efd059d5_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The lower level used to contain a little museum back in the day, but it&#8217;s all boarded up now, along with the lookout:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53873829899_b8b277ddcf_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The views were limited due to the wildfire smoke: Looking north at distant Diamond Peak, with Hillman Peak and Llao Rock in the foreground above the lake:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53873471711_a6a0f6d171_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Looking northeast at Llao Rock and Mt. Scott:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53872574817_bc4875b2a6_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Looking east across the lake at Mt. Scott:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53873829874_f660acc103_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Looking southeast at Mt. Scott and Garfield Peak:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53872729283_391178f317_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Looking south at Mt. McLoughlin and Union Peak:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53872830614_6fa9758c89_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53873481136_c48f6d3045_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Looking west:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53873880750_cc2c1d0291_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Looking northwest at Bohemia Mountain, Fairview Peak, Garwood Butte, and Mt. Bailey:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53873725753_5baca1b41e_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I saw this cute little chimpunk as I hiked down:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53873734823_7c7094ceff_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53873489941_1ee7a1de1a_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Watchman Hike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Under better conditions I would have spent more time exploring the park after my hike, but not with all this smoke.<\/p>\n<p>Gaia stats: 1.8 miles, 440&#8242; elevation gain<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Saturday, July 20, 2024 I hiked up to The Watchman in Crater Lake National Park on a hot smoky day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5311,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[260,159],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5309"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5309"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5309\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5373,"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5309\/revisions\/5373"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5311"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5309"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5309"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5309"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}