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1977
1978
1979
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$250.000 is appropriated for reroofing the Lodge. The project
doesn’t begin until the summer of 1981.
February 11
The Crater Lake Wilderness/Cross Country Ski Race is resurrected
after a lapse of 40 years.
Gary Dilesky of Hillsboro, Oregon wins the 14 (or it could be 16
mile), “B” ski race in one hour and 54 minutes.
David Beck of Klamath Falls wins the “C” ski race in one hour
and 48 minutes.
73 year-old Pete Hedberg, winner of the 32 mile, 1933 Crater
Lake - Fort Klamath Ski Race, skis the 14 miles on his
old-fashioned cumbersome wooden skis.
Mr. E. Nordeen, 88 years old and former winner, visits the ski
race and tells stories about his skiing adventures. (See 1929
entry)
February 20
The Fulton’s mail delivery suburban flips over on the South
Road.
March 29
Six rangers lower the Park’s inflatable rescue raft over the Rim
and into the Lake for a practice exercise. The first record of
winter boating on the Lake.
March 31
The NPS reports that the new Annie Spring water system has cost
$452,596. A total of 1,617 tort claims have been submitted
against the Park due to illness caused by the sewer
overflow. The loss has totaled $398,614, with several claims
still pending. The only lawsuit filed against the government has
been filed by the Crater Lake Lodge Company to edemnify them
against future claims.
May 21
Hank Tanski, new Assistant Chief of Interpretation, EOD’s. Hank
holds the position for 10 years before transferring to John Day
NM. (and retiring from the NPS in 1997)
Precipitation for the water year: 55.58 inches.
June
Freddy (possibly Freda) the red fox takes up residence along the
Rim Village Rock Wall. He/she makes a living off of numerous
Golden Mantle Ground Squirrels. The sight of G.M.G.S. tails and
feet sticking out of the fox’s mouth sickens many Park visitors.
Summer
Rangers Marion Jack and Vic Affolter hear something large
crashing through the forest at the old PCT entrance on the West
Road. A pine cone is tossed through the air and the strong odor
emanating from whatever it was is over powering.
July
Assault by a Forest Service employee on Rangers Hershel Henderly
and Jim Donovan at Rim Village. The visitor’s vehicle was chased
by several armed rangers to the West Road, where the subject was
subdued and arrested with force. The subject was released the
next day by the courts and given a light misdemeanor sentence
and small fine.
July and August And during the 1979 season
Dr. Doug Larson, using 350 water samples, identifies 99 species
of Lake algae. Most are rare, with only 6 or 7 species being
predominate. Obtains a Secchi Disc reading of only 67 feet, or
about half the clarity distance measured in 1969.
July 14
A Park visitor runs up and down Wizard Island in 18 minutes
after forgetting his tripod at the top. The tour boat was
waiting for him.
July 24 to September 21
A large lightning storm sets several fires in the Park and
surrounding area. Two of the fires are allowed to burn. The Sun
Creek fire burns 1.5 acres. The Crater Peak-Goodbye Fire
eventually burns 540 acres and kills 10% of the mature trees in
the path of the flames. Basically the fire is a ground fire, so
much brush and accumulated fuels are burned out. Large animals,
such as elk are soon seen in the area as the flames cool
down. The fire was named “Goodbye” as it was now good-bye to the
old fire management plan of attacking and putting out every
forest fire. Depending on where the fire is in the Park, its
cause and season of the year, some fires will be allowed to burn
themselves out naturally. Since the Goodbye fire was within
sight of visitors entering the Park from the South, a large sign
was placed on the road saying, “Natural Fire, Do not
report.” Rangers were also stationed along the road to explain
to visitors the reasons for allowing a naturally caused fire to
burn.
July 29
John White, NPS seasonal employee, runs from Headquarters to the
top of Garfield Peak and back again without stopping, in 45
minutes.
August
A new water system and pipes are installed at Lost Creek
Campground.
August 12
Third annual Rim Run. 457 runners, 82 which are National Park
Employees. Nine finished the full 26 mile run.
Rim Run Winners
Men: 6.5 Greg Spruill Springfield, Oregon 33.41
13.0 Darcy Burleson Phoenix, Oregon 1:13.11
26.2 Thom Burleson Eugene, Oregon 2:37.29
Women: 6.5 Carol Kohleim Crater Lake, Oregon 47:13
13.0 Darcy Burleson Chico, California 1:39.24
26.2 Sally Edwards Chico, California 3:33.49
August 22
NPS Director, Bill Whalen, visits Crater Lake for two days.
August 24
Massive air and ground search conducted by the National Guard
and volunteers in search for a Cessna 182 that disappeared in
the Crater Lake area with three on board, February, 1975. The
search concentrates on a 50 square mile region in the
southwestern portion of the park and the Northeast corner of
Jackson County. The results were negative.
August 27
Jim Rouse, Crater Lake’s 21st superintendent, enters on duty.
August
An older couple, because of a misunderstanding of the boat
schedule, is left overnight on the Island. They light a huge
fire which is easily seen from Rim Village, but because of the
danger of running a boat at night, rescue is held off until
first light. The woman in the group promises to really stir
things up in Washington “because of top
connections.” Superintendent Rouse treats the two of them to
breakfast at the Lodge.
September 8
Gary Roden, 29, of Enumclaw, Washington, asks Ranger Hank Tanski
for permission to leave his pack at the Visitor Center for a few
hours while he explored the Rim Village area. When Gary did not
return by closing time, Hank left a message and phone number on
the door of the center and took the pack to Headquarters,
returning to the Rim area several times during the evening, in
search of Roden. Several days later, Hank discovered a postcard
of Wizard Island in Roden’s pack saying, “I are on the island,
and I’m not coming back alone.” This note, plus the report of
several visitors say they had seen movement on the Island,
prompted Tanski and Rick Kirchner to attempt a rescue in the
Park’s Zodiac Raft which first required carrying the boat down
the Cleetwood Lake Trail. As the craft arrived outside the
boathouse, the door was flung open and Roden asked, “Are you
looking for someone?”
Roden claims to have swum over to the Island with the idea of
committing suicide by swallowing drugs, including cocaine. Roden
had a change of heart and supposedly burned the drugs. He spent
his first two nights in the Island’s crater, the next two nights
under the trees and one night in the boat house. He also thought
that the Island would be a quiet place to play his silver flute,
which he had brought with him. Roden stated that the water was
two cold to swim back, and waited five days for his rescue. The
only food Gary was able to find was a shriveled up orange in one
of the boathouses. On the way back to Cleetwood, as Hank was
offering Roden part of his lunch, he asked Hank, “Are there any
fish in the Lake?” Since this is the number one question asked
by visitors and since Hank had heard the question all summer, he
said he felt like pushing Roden overboard. It was later
determined that Roden was a mental patient from Salem.
September 8
Tana Hill and Chief Ranger Dan Sholly marry in the Lodge. They
had planned for the ceremony to take place at Sun Notch, but
inclement weather forced the marriage inside.
September 28
A prescribed forest burn of 6,000 is set in the Park’s northeast
corner, east of Timber Crater. The fire spreads at a speed of 35
feet per hour. By October 22, 2,600 acres had burned. A thick
thermal layer of air over the area sends smoke into the Rogue
Valley.
October
Mrs. John Creaghan of Baton Rouge, LA, Granddaughter of John
Wesley Hillman, visits the Park.
October 2
Male bear destroyed by Ranger Mark Forbes near Mazama
Campground.
October 11
The prescribed burn set 13 previously reaches 1,200 acres in
size. Two previously naturally caused fires are allowed to burn.
October 18
Superintendent James Rouse issues a new pet policy allowing
permanent Park residents and employees to keep pets in the Park
for the first time.
October 26
80 people are suing Crater Lake Lodge because of the 1975 water
problems.
October 30
The top one-third of a nearly dead Mountain Hemlock tree breaks
off during a wind storm, knocking holes in the roof and walls of
Stonehouse #28. One of the logs pierced the upstairs bedroom
ceiling, shattered a new chest of drawers, and sent plaster
flying around the room. The larger log pierced the wall above
the window frame in the pantry, crossed the pantry and shattered
on the kitchen wall, narrowly missing Hank Tanski and Ron and
Joy Mastrogiuseppe. Flying plaster drew blood from Ron’s upper
lip.
October
Thirty prong horn antelope are spotted by Teri Thomas at Desert
Creek.
November
Greg Weidel and Sara Shapira begin operation of the Crater Lake
Ski Service. Greg and Sara live in a converted 1952 Blue Bird
school bus parked in the center of the Rim parking lot. The ski
service first used the Rim Cafeteria, and then the Rim Center
for the next four winters and the V.C. in 1984.
November
The Ashland Daily Tidings reports that the Civil Air Patrol
notified Sheriff’s deputies that the patrol had sighted a “Help”
sign spelled out on rocks in the Trapper Creek area of Crater
Lake National Park. Deputies reported an unsuccessful search of
the area.
November 9
Multnomah County Circuit Court jury awards $19,000 in damages to
Janice Joachimof McMinnville, Oregon. $4,000 in general damages
and $15,000 in punitive damages. Mrs. Joachim became ill after
visiting Crater lake Lodge in July of 1975. The Joachim suit if
the first of nearly 100 that are still pending.
December 17
A porcupine is discovered near Steel Circle, northwest of the
power plant, with its underneath hollowed out and with mountain
lion tracks in the surrounding snow.
Season Visitation: 580,061.
Total fees collected at the entrance stations: $207,000, which
was about 20% of the total Park budget.
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1977
1978
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