A 30′ long stump of what is probably a hemlock tree has been floating vertically, bobbing up and down, in Crater Lake, in south-central Oregon in the western United States, for more than 120 years. How much longer it has been floating, no one knows. Carbon dating suggests that the log is around 450 years old. The floating stump has been given the name the Old Man of the Lake.
Joseph S. Diller, the first geologist to study crater lake near the turn of the 20th century, described the floating tree stump in a report dated 1896. About 30′ long overall and two feet in diameter at the waterline, the stump floats about four feet above the water. It is buoyant enough to support a person’s weight. Why has the log floated vertically for so long? No one really knows.
The Old Man of the Lake drifts wherever he will. The hemlock stump has been tracked covering a 60-mile range over a period of only three months. A hazard to navigation, tour boats on Crater Lake are careful to track where the Old Man is floating.
At almost 2,000 feet deep, Crater lake is the deepest lake in the country. Now the centerpiece of a National Park, the lake is the caldera of a collapsed volcano formed some 7,700 years ago. The lake is famous for its deep blue color and crystal clear water.
On the Trail: Crater Lake’s Old Man
Thanks to David Rye for contributing to this post.
We need to know what type of tree it is so we can use that long lasting wood for marina piles 🙂
Next time we pass a deadhead we’ll salute and dip the pennant. Seniority deserves respect. 🙂
Do they keep a log of its position?
Allegedly, it is a hemlock tree.
DO they keep a log of the log? The local boats appear to keep track of it to avoid a collision. I don’t know if there is a designated log log keeper.
I could put a tracker on it and then compare its track to wind and currents. Will I get paid for this valuable research?