Crater Lake in Oregon isn’t just the deepest lake in the United States—it’s one of the purest and most visually stunning bodies of water on the planet. I
ts vivid blue hue, nearly unmatched in clarity, is enough to make you question if nature itself has a filter.
But beyond its breathtaking beauty, Crater Lake holds a bizarre mystery that has puzzled scientists for more than a century: a 30-foot tree stump that has been floating upright since at least 1896.
This isn’t just any log. Nicknamed the Old Man of the Lake, this ancient hemlock tree has defied physics and logic, remaining vertically suspended for over 120 years.
It has traveled miles across the lake, defying winds and currents, and even supporting the weight of a fully grown adult standing on top.
So, how does a tree stump float upright for more than a century without sinking?
And why hasn’t science been able to provide a definitive answer?
The Discovery of the Old Man
The first recorded sighting of the Old Man dates back to 1896 when geologist Joseph Diller stumbled upon it while studying Crater Lake.
At first glance, it appeared to be an ordinary floating log—until he realized something odd.
It wasn’t drifting like normal debris; instead, it was standing straight up, bobbing slightly but never tipping over.
Fascinated, Diller observed its movement and published a scientific report in 1902, noting that the stump had traveled 400 meters (1,312 feet) in just a few years.
But this was only the beginning of its strange behavior.
In 1938, researchers decided to track its movement more closely.
Over a three-month period, from July to September, the Old Man covered an astonishing 99.9 kilometers (62.1 miles)—sometimes moving against the wind.
“You would think that the 4-foot portion above the water would act as a little sail,” said Mark Buktenica, an aquatic ecologist for the National Park.
“But sometimes he’ll move all the way across the lake against the wind.”
It was as if the Old Man had a mind of its own.
An Ancient Relic Suspended in Time
Carbon dating suggests that the Old Man is at least 450 years old, meaning it had already been a towering tree long before it ever fell into the lake.
Crater Lake itself, formed around 7,700 years ago after the violent eruption of Mount Mazama, is known for its depth (1,943 feet, or 592 meters), making it the ninth deepest lake in the world.
But while its geological history is well understood, the Old Man’s origins remain a mystery.
The lake is also remarkably empty.
Unlike most lakes, it lacks a diverse ecosystem, with only two fish species—rainbow trout and kokanee salmon—surviving after being introduced in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Its water is pristine, devoid of sediments or pollutants, which explains its otherworldly blue color.
But what makes the Old Man so buoyant and stable after all these years?
Breaking the Laws of Physics?
According to basic physics, an object floating in water will orient itself based on its center of mass and buoyancy.
Typically, a log should float horizontally—yet the Old Man has been floating upright for over a century.
One theory suggests that when the tree first entered the lake, its root system became tangled with rocks, anchoring it in an upright position.
Over time, the rocks could have fallen away, but by then, the log had already become waterlogged at one end, keeping it perfectly balanced.
However, there’s a problem with this hypothesis—no rocks have ever been observed attached to the log. In fact, no evidence suggests that any were ever there.
Others speculate that the density of the submerged end has increased over time due to water absorption, while the exposed end remains dry and light.
This delicate equilibrium, they argue, has kept the log stable for more than a century.
But even this doesn’t fully explain how the Old Man continues to move against the wind and currents.
A Unique Ecosystem on the Old Man
Adding another layer to the mystery, researchers have discovered that the Old Man hosts a unique type of moss that usually grows only at depths of 394 feet (120 meters).
The only logical explanation?
At some point, the stump must have submerged and resurfaced multiple times over the past century.
But how and why did this happen?
Some researchers believe natural fluctuations in buoyancy could explain these movements, but without continuous monitoring over the decades, the full picture remains unknown.
What We Still Don’t Know
Despite various experiments and decades of observation, the Old Man’s secrets remain largely unsolved. Scientists can’t say with certainty:
- How it first became vertical
- Why it remains stable despite changing environmental conditions
- How it moves seemingly against the forces of nature
To this day, no one has been able to definitively answer these questions. And perhaps, as Mark Buktenica puts it, “I’m okay with not knowing.”
For now, the Old Man of the Lake remains one of Crater Lake’s greatest mysteries—a floating relic, defying time, science, and logic.
