The building that has sustained the greatest amount of damage is the ranger club. The heavy load of snow on the roof brought about stresses and strains in the framework of the building, which resulted in reopening and widening many of the old cracks that existed in the plaster in this building, and in addition caused buckling and sagging of the plaster on the ceilings of a number of the rooms to such an extent that it is about ready to fall. The cracked and buckled plaster on the side walls is much more likely to remain in place.
Cracks in the plaster on the walls and ceilings in the Superintendent’s residence and other employees quarters where plaster has been used were found. Some of this was recracking or widening of old cracks that have been sealed or painted over, and in addition there were many new cracks found.
The administration building which is one of the newest buildings and more soundly constructed of heavier material, seems to have come through the winter in good shape, as has also the quarters of the Assistant Superintendent.
There is little or nothing that can be done to avoid this damage in future winters when the park is closed. In past winters a spike camp of CCC boys has been kept at Crater Lake during the winter months to remove at least a part of the heavy snow load on these weaker buildings, and thus prevent excessive damage.
As far as could be ascertained from inspection of the rooms, there has been no breaking or splitting of rafters or studs or other parts of the frame of the building, but it is conceivable that over a period of years these stresses and strains due to heavy snow load may finally result in breakage that may be really serious. . . .
A portion of the porch of the old community house at the rim was crushed by the snow, and all of the roofs of the buildings show the effect of a heavy winter. Sliding snow has scoured the green stained shakes or shingles practically white, and the overhung eaves of some buildings show the effects of winter storms and the tremendous crushing effect of settling snow.
Evidently there were some very heavy windstorms during the winter, for window and door shutters and storm barricades have been ripped off to a greater extent than usual. This was particularly noticeable at the Crater Lake Lodge at the rim. The steel fire escape ladder on the north side of the building had been crushed down about 18 inches and the siderails telescoped on itself. [19]
When the park reopened on a year-round basis in July 1946 prewar maintenance activities and standards were gradually reestablished as funding and personnel permitted. The most immediate maintenance needs were addressed during the summer of 1946. The trail to the lake was opened to the public on August 4. The maintenance crews encountered many difficulties in opening the trail, including heavy snow drifts, rock slides, and washouts. The major roads in the park were patched with crushed rock and oil, the crushed rock being obtained from the summit of Dutton Ridge. By late summer the roads, according to Leavitt, were in “fairly good condition” with the exception of the west and south entrance roads where the outer edge of the pavement was “continually breaking because of lack of metal underneath the paving.”
Snow-related maintenance activities continued to comprise a large portion of park operations during the postwar years. The months of October and November 1946 witnessed extreme cold and heavy snowfall. The early winter weather conditions resulted in a variety of maintenance, snow removal repair activities as reported by Superintendent Leavitt:
. . . As usual, visitors got caught in the early storms and had to be helped out when their cars became stalled or skidded off the road. It was necessary to widen and improve the detour around the Annie Spring section to provide room for the operation of the big, heavy snow plows. Snow poles had to be erected all along the roads from the southwest and to the Rim of Crater Lake. Snow sheds had to be installed at Park headquarters and to the entrance-way of every building that is used or occupied during the winter. These include not only quarters, mess hall, dormitories, etc., but also comfort stations at the Rim and at Park headquarters. The temporary ranger station used on the Rim during the winter months in pre-war time and which was moved to a point about midway between the South Entrance and Annie Spring for an emergency ski patrol cabin, was moved back to the Rim and placed in readiness for service during the winter. . . .
