Mount Thielsen and Timber Crater

By chance, I happened to capture a few photos (unknowingly) of some features outside of Crater Lake while we were at Crater Lake that are worth writing about very briefly here in my blog.  These features are still within the National Park but they are not really part of the rim of Mount Mazuma which is now Crater Lake.  

The first notable feature is Mount Thielsen at an elevation of 9,184 feet.  This is an extinct volcano with its last eruption being 250,000 years ago.  Volcano activity in these Cascade Mountains dates back to 55 million years ago.  This horn-like peak has been carved by glaciers which have eroded the mountain to produce the pointy, Paramount logo-like shape we see today.  When I first noticed this mountain, I couldn't help but wonder if this is the "Paramount moutain peak" used in its logo (apparently, it is not).  This mountain was clearly visible straight across the lake, to the north, from our lodge.    

Another notable feature is the Timber Crater, seen below in the distance behind the rim of Crater Lake, with an elevation of 7,425 feet.  This crater is located just to the right of Mount Thielsen (to the east and a bit closer to Crater Lake).  This was a volcanic mountain that erupted approximately 137,000 years ago.  It is one of the younger volcanos in the region.  This last eruption created a crater that is now five miles in diameter.  The crater that was created on this mountain by its eruption reminds me of the shape of the crater on Mount St Helen's although the Timber Crater is far larger than the one created at Mount St Helen's.  

Here, below, is another view of Timber Crater with Mount Thielsen behind and slightly to the left of it.  

For reference, here is my original panoramic image that I showed in a previous blog entry making it easier to point out five distinct features as viewed from the lodge.  These two features are indicated at #3 and #4 on this image...

As I mentioned in the beginning of this blog entry, I didn't set out to capture any photos of these features.  Actually, I didn't really notice that I had captured them in photos until I was reviewing my photos back at home!