Scatter my Ashes at Crater Lake

I suppose you could carry me inside a shoe box.  It's not like anyone is checking what's in the trunk or passenger seat.  You see, I don't know what National Parks regulations are when it comes to scattering human remains.  And in my case, you might need more than one shoe box!  I can say if there's a place where I wouldn't mind being carried on the winds, Crater Lake is near the top of the list.  Standing over the rim and looking below is a humbling experience.  You're looking at God's handiwork. 

Did you know?  There's no natural drainage of the lake. No great river flowing over the edge.  The water collects and apparently seeps into the ground or fills a void below and even on a windswept October day, it looks like sequins reflecting the sun.

In summer, I imagine the park is crowded.  The week after Columbus Day was different.  At one point during the drive from Bend the temperature dropped to a cool 22 degrees and the area was shrouded in fog.  It had all cleared away and was considerably warmer when I passed through the northern gate.  There were only a handful of other tourists.  I got to chat with visitors from Washington State and California.  Like me, they were awed by the creation.

Crater Lake rivals Glacier National Park when it comes to the two greatest wonders I've ever witnessed.  Denali is on my bucket list.  I've been to beaches and through the Great Plains.  Nothing rivals what we have in the western portion of the country.  Grand Canyon and perhaps some cliff dwellings will follow Denali.  If I've got the time left.

Which gets me back to Crater Lake.  The day before my arrival I read where the indigenous tribes were greatly moved by the lake.  When the volcano collapsed it was a religious experience for them as well as anyone looking over the rim in our modern era.  I'm not moved by much but at one point I sat down and just kept looking at the shimmering water below.  The wind was stiff and it was chilly but I somehow shut all of it out and pondered eternity.