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1979
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Winter
A six month high-level study of Crater Lake’s winter operations
concludes that no changes are warranted.
Emil Nordeen’s 1931 Crater Lake ski trophy (38 inches high of
solid silver) comes out of retirement in Sweden, when the trophy
is awarded as the first place prize for a 37 mile Kalutra
Skloppet race in Northern Sweden. This is the first time the
Swedes have lived up to their 1960 agreement with Nordeen.
January
The Park’s rescue raft is slid down the Rim at Rim Village for a
practice rescue run to Wizard Island. 12 rangers camp in snow
caves on the island. The nighttime temperature at the Rim
reached a minus 7 degrees, with 31 degrees being measured in the
snow caves. Since it was a clear night, the rangers climbed
Wizard Island by moonlight.
James Stansberry, Diamond Lake snowmobile guide, cited for
leading 5 other snowmobilers off the established route. Stansberry
was fined $500 (with $400 suspended) and restricted from any
further guided trips into the Park.
January
A new government report estimates the Lodge needs $2.4 million
in safety repairs. Additional studies concluded the Lodge needed
$6.5 million dollars of repairs. The work was scheduled to begin
at the end of the season, 1982, but because of the cost, the
work is delayed.
January 8
Famed geologist Howel Williams dies in California. As requested
by his brother in England, William’s ashes are shipped to Crater
Lake. Superintendent Jim Rouse slipped the silver tube
containing William’s ashes into the Lake at Cleetwood Cove the
following summer. Forgotten Crater, an extension of Hillman Peak
is renamed to “Williams Crater.”
January 13
Wesley Stanfield, 54, of Central Point, dies while skiing on the
East Road, near the Wildflower Garden. The Chiloquin Ambulance,
while transporting the victim, runs off the road near Fort
Klamath, moderately injuring the for attendants who were giving
CPR.
January 28
Congress is asked for $781,000 to reconstruct four miles of the
West Rim Road, between the Watchman and the North Junction.
February 23
Senator Mark Hatfield, following through on a previous promise,
introduces legislation to expand Crater Lake by some 23,000
acres. The bill would add Sphagnum Bog and Thousand Springs,
Desert Ridge, Boundary Springs, all of Timber Crater, Bear Butte
and the Sand Creek drainage. Hatfield left out some of the
recommended Diamond Lake area, so as not to further restrict
snowmobile use.
March 1
The first annual Dutton Creek Cross Country Ski Race. Reider
Peterson, age 40, former U.S. Olympic Team member, wins in 39.0
minutes. Ten year old Brian Smith, wins the youth division in
80.45 minutes.
March 15
Ambassador and Mrs. Merwyn Norrish of New Zealand are shown
around the Park by Superintendent Rouse.
March 16
Annual Portland Nordic Club Rim ski race.
April 1
The Klamath Falls Group (Cluster) office is abolished and all
personnel are informed that they must either transfer to other
parks, retire or move to Crater Lake by August of 1982.
May
Seasonal Ranger Rod Cranson publishes the geological story of
Crater Lake entitled “Crater Lake - Gem of the Cascades”. Rod’s
book is the first geological book published about Crater Lake
since Howel Williams’ 1942 book.
May 18
The destructive eruption and eventual explosion of Mt. St.
Helens, focuses renew attention to Mazama’s eruption and
collapse, 6,600 years ago.
Summer
The complete Interpretive Ranger crew are returning
veterans. This is the first time in memory that there has not
been at least several new employees.
Oregon’s only nesting Peregrine falcon lays three eggs, but they
fail to hatch. Again studies show that the shells were too thin
and the eggs had dried out before hatching.
June
Massive search conducted for two teenage boys who become lost
while playing on a snowfield below just below Rim Village. The
boys confuse their directions end up walking 20 miles West to
highway 230 where they were picked up by a trucker and are fed
their first food for the day at Beckies in Union Creek. The boys
said they were following their Boy Scout training which says to
“head down hill when lost.”
June 15
Two floating Styrofoam docks are airlifted by helicopter from
Discovery Point to Cleetwood. The foam floats ended up bouncing
so badly, the docks are unsafe to use. Compounding the problem
was the ripping off of huge hunks of Styrofoam every time the
docks struck a rock. (Styrofoam was seen floating in the Lake
for years.) One dock was destroyed in a storm and other one
served for a time as an unstable fueling dock.
June 18
A 1600 acre prescribed burn is set, extending from Sharp Peak to
the northeast corner of the Park.
June 23
The Oregon Court of Appeals is asked by former Crater Lake Lodge
owner, Ralph Peyton, to set aside the $15,000 in punitive
damages formerly awarded to Janice Joachim in 1978. Her lawyer
accused Peyton and other officials of a “massive cover up”. The
lawyer said there is evidence that most of the Lodge staff was
sick by June 30, and that Peyton allowed sick employees to serve
food and that he did not notify authorities of their
gastrointestinal illnesses.
July
Ten year-old Brian Smith runs up Cleetwood Cove Lake Trail, with
a pack on his back, in 12 minutes.
“A Crater Lake Boy”, written by his father: I find myself
reliving again and again that look of pure joy on Brian’s face
as I climbed off the Crater Lake Tour Boat. Brian was waiting at
the dock expectantly. “Dad, I caught a fish!” he announced in
front of everyone. His first one! All on his own!
What was the strange inner desire that drove this ten year-old
son of mine to ride his little one-speed bike fourteen miles
around West Rim Drive at 5:30 a.m. so he could fish in Crater
Lake? Perhaps it was the ovation Brian received from that early
morning boat load of park visitors after the attending Ranger
announced how Brian had arrived at the Lake shore that
morning. Perhaps it was the special award she give Brian that
morning as the boat pulled away from the dock. Never-the-less,
Brian’s enthusiasm for fishing has continued, even on the days
when he goes fishless. There is certainly something mystical
about spending hour after hour keeping a fishing line wet when
nothing noticeable is happening. Success doesn’t come easy to a
10 year-old fisherman, but there is always hope.
Brian has spent 8 years of his short life exploring the meadows
and trails of Crater Lake National Park. First it was the frogs
of Munson Creek that attracted his attention. Now, as he as
grown older, he finds added joy in locating a new waterfall or
perhaps discovering what is over the next mountain ridge.
Observing the moving waters of Munson Creek or watching the
splash of water on wet stones continue to have a special
fascination.
Now that Munson Valley has been explored from ridge to ridge,
Brian’s desire for further exploration has expanded. Christmas
backpacking equipment has remained in the closet too long. Red
Cone Springs and Boundary Springs are shouting out to be
explored. Soon it will be Tututni Pass and Stewart Falls. The
joy of reaching the day’s desired destination creates a special
satisfaction. Perhaps this specialness comes from being away
from his pesky sister, or maybe just being with his dad.
Millions of visitors have enjoyed Crater Lake and its environs,
but no one more so than this son of mine. Each day brings
special plans to enjoy this spectacular place. Perhaps one of
these years Brian will realize how fortunate he really was being
raised in a national park and that he was truly a favored
person. “Dad, aren’t you glad that I enjoy doing things like
this, so that you can enjoy places like this?”
July 7
Thirty-five year old ultra-marathoner (100 miles), Warren Finks
of 6917 S.W. 33rd Street, Portland, Oregon, runs the Cleetwood
Lake Trail twice in 38 minutes, including a drink from the Lake.
July 18
Jonel Jack and John Todd marry in the Rim Center.
July 20
Domesticated sheep found grazing inside the Rim at Steel Bay.
Two carcass are later found on the East Rim.
July 22
Mrs. Stanley Service, sister-in-law of famous Alaskan poet,
Robert Service (“Cremation of Sam Magee, etc.) visits the Park.
July 28
National Geographic editor, John Eliot, visits Crater Lake while
doing research for a future article on the 75th anniversary of
Teddy Roosevelt’s legacy of establishing National Parks. Eliot
hikes several trials and takes a boat ride.
August 8
Rudy Luech, box 333, Springdale, Utah, 84767, a former ranger at
Crater Lake from June 16, 1929 until June, 1936, visits the
Park. Luech was with Chief Ranger Godfrey when he died in a
snowstorm on the South Road in 1930.
August 9
Fifth Annual Rim Run Winners:
Men: 6.7 Pat Fox Beaverton, Oregon 34.42
13.0 Dave Collins San Francisco, California 1:20.11
26.2 Al Glidden Klamath Falls, Oregon 2:44.12
Women 6.2 Kris Haeckeer Grants Pass, Oregon 43.35
13.0 Shirley Sandrowski Chico, California 1:51.48
26.2 Jeanne Ottoman Klamath Falls, Oregon 3:30.29
Nearly 500 runners participated on a very warm race day.
August 23
Richard DeYoung, 4594 Paradise Knoll, Castro Valley, California,
age 40, runs the complete 33 mile Rim Drive taking four hours
and 55 minutes. Richard used 2.5 liters of water, sipped at half
mile intervals. DeYoung started his run at 6:15 a.m. from in
front of Headquarters.
August 28
Crater Lake is experiencing its driest summer on record with
only a total of 0.5 inches of precipitation recorded since June
13. Emergency fire presuppression funds are requested from the
Regional office.
August 31
Scott and Pamela Burnett of Vancouver, Washington are remarried
on Wizard Island. The couple had attempted the ceremony on
September 3, 1979, but stormy weather had canceled the boat
tours and the couple had to settle for an impromptu marriage
ceremony at Cleetwood Cove. Judge Ken Odiorne of Chiloquin said
that “this wedding was the most unique I have ever
performed.” After failing to find any record of a previous
Wizard Island marriage, the judge “entered their names in the
Guiness Book of World Records.”
Jeff Adams, maintenance superintendent, retires after 23 years
of continuous work at Crater Lake. Mr. Adams then begins another
career as Liaison Officer for the contractors working on the
Lodge.
September 22
The Oregon State Court of Appeals rules that a McMinnville,
Oregon woman, who became ill after drinking contaminated water
in the Park five years ago is entitled to $15,000 in punitive
damages. Crater Lake Lodge Company and Ralph Peyton, president
of the Company in 1975 had earlier been ordered to pay Janice
Joachim $4,000 in compensatory damages and $15,000 in punitive
damages. Peyton had appealed to the Appeals Court contending
that the punitive damage award should not have been allowed.
October
The Park’s research boat, The African Queen, breaks loose in a
storm and is destroyed against rocks at Cleetwood Cove.
October
Water Year Precipitation: 59.37 inches
Snowfall The Previous 40 year average has been a
yearly accumulation of about 600 inches.
Season: 1975/76 505.7 inches
1976/77 244.25 (the lowest on record)
1977/78 395.64
1978/79 348.8
1979/80 425.55
1980/81 281.3 (the second lowest on record)
October
A remote signal seismograph is installed at Tututni Pass.
November 15
Seasonal Ranger Larry Smith makes an attempt to place the “Old
Man of the Lake” into world competition in the Guiness Book of
World Records as the World’s oldest floating log and as the
World’s smallest officially closed Government area (3.9 square
feet). But unfortunately the Guiness people write back saying
that they do not have these types of categories.
December
Public hearings are held to determine the fate of the historic
Crater Lake Lodge. The Park Service has determined that the
building is worth restoring and asks Congress for $6.5 million
in restoration funds.
December 15
The Federal Register lists the pumice grape fern (Bitrychium
pumicola) and the Mount Mazama collomia (Collomia Mazama) as
candidates for endangered and threatened species in the Park.
December 19
President Carter signs the Crater Lake expansion bill, adding
22,890 acres to the National Park. The legislation, proposed by
Senator Mark Hatfield of Oregon, moved the boundary of the Park
to include scenic attractions on adjacent Forest Service Lands
that had been missed when the Park was first established in
1902. The Park now totals 182,180 acres.
December 27
A Grants Pass Courier news reporter calls Park headquarters to
check on a story that had been reported to him about “lava
bubbling up in Crater Lake and that the water temperature had
climbed 30 degrees in one week.” Officials at the Park assured
the reporter that the rumors were false and the man couldn’t
believe that he had swallowed a yarn like that one.
Winter
Park Magistrate, Frank J. Van Dyke of Medford, retires after
serving the park for 27 years. The Medford Magistrates office
is combined with the Eugene office.
Season 1980
Visitation 484,256. Sixty three seasonal government employees
worked at the Park during the summer.
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1979
1980
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