Witness to Eruption

Native American stories tell of the formation of Crater Lake as being the result of two powerful, ancient spirits: Llao, the spirit of the mountain known as the chief of Below World, and Skell, the spirit of the sky known as the chief of the Above World. Stories indicate that sometimes Llao came up from his home in the earth and stood on top of Mount Mazama, one of the highest mountains in the region. During one of these visits to the top of Mazama, Llao saw the Makalak chief's beautiful daughter down below and fell in love with her. He put forth the promise of eternal life if she would return with him to his lodge beneath the mountain. When she refused, he became furious and declared that he would destroy her and all of her people with fire. With all of his rage, he rushed up through the opening of his mountain and stood on top of it, hurling fire down upon her and her people. According to their beliefs, the mighty Skell took pity on them and stood on top of Mount Shasta to defend them against Llao. From their mountaintops, the two chiefs waged a furious battle, hurling red-hot rocks as large as hills. They made the earth tremble and caused great landslides of fire. The people fled in terror to the waters of Klamath Lake. Two holy men offered to sacrifice themselves by jumping into the pit of fire on top of Llao's mountain. Skell was moved by the bravery of the two men and eventually drove Llao back into the depths of Mount Mazama. By the time the sun rose the next morning, the people were shocked to see that the great mountain was gone. Skell had made the mountain fall in on Llao, and all that remained was a large hole. Rain fell in torrents, and today…Crater Lake exists.

The Native American connection to this area was easily discovered and tracked back before Mount Mazama's cataclysmic eruption. Archeologists found sandals and other ancient artifacts buried deep below layers of ash from the massive eruption of Mount Mazama. Many stories about the creation of Crater Lake still exist and frequently surface today, as they have been passed from generation to generation. However, with far too many stories to recall and include here, the above is derived from one of the most popular versions which originated within Klamath and Modoc Native American tribes. For many, many years, Native Americans considered Crater Lake to be sacred. It is believed that Crater Lake went undiscovered for so long by early area settlers because Native American guides would intentionally guide them far away from the water. Reportedly, some believed that anyone who gazed upon the lake's water would die immediately. Even after the discovery of Crater Lake, a local tribe refused to acknowledge its existence when being directly questioned about it. Today, some Native Americans still choose not to view Crater Lake, and believe that its beauty and mystery form a religious context.

Crater Lake is known for being one of the world's most unique, pristine and beautiful landscapes. Unlike anywhere else on Earth, with its deep, pure water, serene surrounding cliffs and violent volcanic past, Crater Lake has inspired visitors and scientists alike for more than 100 years. Join us now in learning more about Crater Lake and the unique ecosystem existing in its depths. How do the discoveries below the surface alter our understanding of life here and elsewhere in our universe?