The Lizard Does the Obsidian

Once again, The Lizard has found an unusual and scenic spot...here he is perched in the obsidian flow near Paulina Lake, in Newberry Crater. The crater has a history similar to Mount Mazama. Both mountains collapsed after massive eruptions emptied the magma chamber beneath them. Both calderas then filled with water; Crater Lake in Mount Mazama, Paulina and East Lakes in Newberry. The two lakes here may have been one body of water in the past, before later eruptions produced lava fields which bisected the original large lake into two smaller ones.

After 1300 years, the obsidian field is still mostly barren. However, there are a few patches of soil among the rocks, and a few very hardy trees have managed to eke out an existence. They're truly tough survivors; in addition to the rocky terrain, the climate is cold and often harsh. We're about 6500 feet above sea level here.