Travel for the year covered in this report not only represents a distinct gain over the preceeding year but set a new all time record of 180,382 visitors. A portion of this increase can be directly attributed to winter accessibility, which first became a definite fact in the 1935-36 season. A major share, of course, can be attributed to an increased national park consciousness and apparently improved economic conditions.
Travel increases observed at Crater Lake were also on record in proportion in other national parks. All types of visitors were on the road. They kept the lodge, housekeeping cabins and cafeteria working almost to capacity, as well as keeping park camp grounds crowded. Both the park administration and the park operator are interestedly watching increased winter use of the park with an eye towards the availability of food and lodging accommodations.
The increasing visitation overtaxed the park campgrounds. Thus, preliminary work was undertaken in 1937 to double the size of the Rim Campground. Of particular concern to park management was the increasing number of house trailers that monopolized camp sites without actually using the stoves, fireplaces, and tables. [39]
The Crater Lake National Park Company made various improvements to its facilities and services in 1936-37 to meet the increasing demands of the growing park visitation. All rooms on the third floor of the lodge were completed, and ten uncompleted rooms on the second floor were finished in 1936. With the completion of the ten rooms the entire second floor was completed. In 1937 the lodge lobby underwent alterations, two 20-passenger buses were added to the stage fleet, and six new rowboats were placed on the lake. At the same time the inadequate heating system of the cafeteria was criticized by Park Service officials. The small housekeeping cabins were also characterized as being inadequate from the “standpoint of appearance,” “poorly arranged,” “disagreeable to occupy,” and lacking “many other customary accommodations that are to be found in the better type of park operator’s development.” [40]
In July 1938 Ernest P. Leavitt, the new park superintendent, reported on the growing visitation to Crater Lake and its impact on park facilities. He observed that the “new all time record” of 204,725 visitors could be attributed
to winter accessibility, snow conditions favorable to all classes of skiers, better publicity in regard to road and snow conditions in the park, and to the fact that the public could, for the first time, obtain meals in the park during the winter.
He went on to state that in spite
of exceptionally heavy snowfall and prolonged storms in the Crater Lake area (the heaviest winter since 1932-33) the park was kept open for winter travel. Keeping the park open throughout the winter was justified in view of record winter travel and also because it made possible the beginning of summer operations much earlier than would otherwise have been possible. . . . It is also significant that having the park open made possible a considerable through-the-park travel, thereby saving many people the otherwise long and circuitous route in getting between points in the east and west side of the Cascade Mountains. . . .
During the period from December 1, 1937, to April 30, 1938, park personnel conducted a survey to determine why winter visitors came to the park. Of the 13,283 visitors entering the park during that period, 5,922 came for winter sports, while 5,825 were attracted by the scenic beauty of the lake. The remainder made use of park roads for travel between the Rogue River and Klamath valleys. Winter travel showed a wide geographic distribution, visitors coming from 32 states, one territory, and 5 foreign countries.
