Mt. Scott (8,926 feet), once dominated by Mt. Mazama, is now the highest peak within the park. Before Mr. Mazama collapsed, creating the Crater Lake basin, eruptions burst from its sides, forming numerous volcanic cones. The largest of these, now partially destroyed, is Mt. Scott.

This mountain is gradually surrendering in its struggle with the elements. The face toward you shows the deep scar of past encounters. The large sloping base in this face is a cirque in the making, a result of erosion by water and ice.

Water from a blanket of granular snow penetrated the underlying rock and froze. Expanding as it froze, the water split off rock fragments which moved gradually downslope-- and cirque was begun. A glacier probably helped to enlarge the depression by carrying away the debris.