Phantom Ship, Oregon, USA

_{Photos by Debb Pflanz. Used by permission. (fair use policy)}

Phantom Ship is a bit of volcanic dike that sticks above the surface of Crater Lake, Oregon. It and Wizard Island are the only two bits of land inside this deep lake, which sits in the throat of an extinct collapsed volcano called Mount Mazama. From the crater rim it looks pretty small. Even from the start of the Crater Lake boat tour, it doesn't stand out.

But as the boat gets nearer . . .

. . . you begin to sense its connection to the enormous structure around it.

And finally, you see its charms at close range—a kind of bonsai version of the whole volcanic region.

You can get brand-new images of Crater Lake's floor, mapped in the summer of 2000, at this U.S. Geological Survey site.

More Cascade Range photos

Volcanoes in a Nutshell

Back to the Gallery of Peaks