Crater Lake Vacay--DAY FIVE AND SIX--Toketee Falls Hike and Lake Play...then home

Toketee Falls has been on Jeff's hiking list for a long time, so we made sure to do it! It was a wide hike in, and the end was on a platform overlooking the falls.  All of the pictures that we've seen of the falls were from right beside it, but the trek down was SO incredibly steep, and all the signs said to stay on the trail, so we were a little disappointed, but enjoyed our time walking together.

Then we went to find some water to use those paddleboards!  We found a campground with an outlet to the lake, so we spent the afternoon playing in and beside the water. Auntie and Grace are happiest in the water...Nessa is NOT.  :)

 

More games and more ice cream to end our last night together. What a fun trip!

We dropped off Julie at home--after a long drive back!--and Jeff was determined to get to Indaba with the trailer.  So here we were, and I sent Julz a pic.  Annnnnd, then....when we got home, Jeff took a Covid test and turned out it was positive.  So this was the Auntie Vacation where we gave her Covid. Sigh.

Crater Lake Vacay--DAY FOUR--Into the lake!

Our second day there, we left Julie to read and put her ankle up...and we went to find the actual water in Crater Lake.

 The Cleetwood Cove trail wound down to the beautiful blue and green lake.  It was SO HOT.  The way down was not so bad...the water was amazing!!!...and the trek back up was WILT-WORTHY.

We went back to the lodge to get Jeff a drink, and then we looked out to Wizard Island and the Phantom Ships from the lodge lookout.

Crater Lake Vacay--DAY THREE--Epic Crater Lake Rim Drive

Our first full day at Crater Lake, we had to experience the Rim Drive! We made a day of it, starting at Discovery Point to take all of our initial pics.

Then we stopped at Watchman Lookout Trail to hike/wave at Auntie from the top of the trail.  She sat in the shade of her trunk while we hiked up, and Micah tried to bring her back a snowball from the July snow on the trail.

JEFF FOUND HIS CUP at the lodge.  Day.  Made.

Then we stopped at Phantom Ship Overlook for a little nap in the shade.

 

Our final stop was to hike into a waterfall.  It was supposed to be only a mile, but it turned out to be a little more for our hop-along Auntie...the cold water in the falls helped numb her for the hobble back to the car!

The evening ended with games with Auntie.  She died laughing while playing Codenames because Josh was ridiculous.