1.2K views · 36 reactions | The eruption of Mount Mazama some 7,800 years ago was witnessed by the people who lived in the region, including the Klamath people. In the aftermath of this massive eruption, Crater Lake became a sacred place, and continues to have significance for the Klamath people today. Watch the season finale of Mossback's Northwest on the Cascade PBS app. | Cascade PBS | Facebook

After Mount Mazama erupted about 7,700 years ago, it left a lot of volcanic ash and pumice rock in the surrounding areas, which created a pumice desert in a large portion of Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. Since then, only about 16 species of plants have been able to grow on these pumice fields characterized by poor, well-drained soils, intense heat and sun exposure, and drought during the growing season. Scientists are studying this area, and it's labeled as one of the "Research Natural Ar