Road Trip Day 7: Fort Klamath to Redding, California
On this beautiful sunny day we first went back to Crater Lake National Park. This time we took the Rim Drive east, to take the short Sun Notch trail to see Phantom Ship, a tiny island in the azure blue lake. (Click on each image to see the high-resolution version)
From there, we could also look back to Wizard Island.
However, after that we had to head south toward California -- this would be our second-to-last day and our trip was winding down. A heat wave came to central California and the thermometer reached 113 degrees Fahrenheit (45 Celsius)! At 14,179 ft or 4322 m, the majestic form of the second highest peak of the Cascades, Mt. Shasta, dominates this stretch of the highway.
In the stifling heat, we checked into a motel in Redding, California. There isn't much in the town of Redding, so they built the Sundial Bridge over the Sacramento River to brighten up the scene.
Birding was good on this day too. First, in the morning at Fort Klamath, I caught (in photography) this Song Sparrow -- a very common bird, but that does not diminish its loveliness.
After we left Crater Lake, we made a brief stop at Upper Klamath Lake and I took picture of a few Clark's Crebes (a new bird for me):
At last, while we were eating dinner at a Mexican Restaurant, I spotted a flock of Yellow-billed Magpies in the parking lot, thus getting yet another new bird -- actually this was a pretty good catch as this bird is a endemic to central California only.
Crate Lake
Phantom Ship
Crate Lake
Mt. Shasta
Mt. Shasta
Sundial Bridge
Song Sparrow
Clark's Grebe
Clark's Grebe
Yellow-billed Magpie
Click the following links to go to Previous Day: Road Trip Day 6: Stevenson to Fort Klamath or Next Day: Road Trip Day 8: Redding to San Francisco and back home.
Click the image below to return to the index page of Summer 2013 West Coast Trip:
