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January
A new weather record is set for January with only 9 inches of
snow being recorded. “It was truly a delightful winter month,
almost like summer.”
Crater Lake freezes over during the month because of a
combination between cold temperatures and the lack of
storms. There seems to be more correlation between ice forming
on the Lake because of the lack of wind than because of cold
temperature. Any ice that has historically formed on the Lake is
usually broken up by the wind before the total surface has a
chance to freeze over.
Some claim the Lake totally iced over for a few days. When the
first snow came, after the ice formed in January, 90% for the
Lake was confirmed to be frozen. After a few days of snowy
weather, only 25% for the surface was iced over. The Lake
initially froze because of the stillness of the water. The
January temperatures were not unusually cold. The thin skim of
ice melted back because of the new snow’s weight forced the ice
down and water crept up over the ice and melted it.
January 8
Ron Warfield, Chief of Park Interpretation, reports that the
Lake has completely frozen over. R.J Michael of the Lodge
Company disagreed. “Spotting the open water areas has been
easier since Sunday night’s snowfall. Until Monday morning it
was difficult to determine if the covering was skim ice. Now,
however, obvious open areas can be seen around Wizard Island and
elsewhere on the Lake.”
February 19
The Park Service attempts to move the date of the Crater Lake
Rim Run to September. Congressman Bob Smith intervenes with
Interior Secretary Hodel and the date is reestablished on August
10th. In an editorial blasting the idea of moving the Rim Run,
the Herald and News says, “The Park Service should look hard at
a management system which allows arbitrary and unjustified
decisions on such long-standing events.”
February 19
The AP reports that the Park has installed a $30,000 satellite
dish and cable system linking 26 homes and a giant screen T.V.
in the Community Center. A preschool playroom with playground
toys is set up on the second floor of the Community
Building. Discussions continue about classifying Crater Lake as
a hardship post.
April
John Lund, 52, P.O. Box 2126, Klamath Falls, becomes the oldest
person to ski around Crater Lake, unaided, in seven hours. (John
Day had a snow mobile running ahead laying track for his group.)
May
Marion Jack, a science teacher from Medford, “retires” after a
record-setting 24 continuous summers as a road patrol ranger and
supervisor. Marion also supplied the Park’s horse patrols for
over 10 years.
Summer
Construction begins on a new parking lot and Lake viewpoint
center at the North Junction. The 18 foot, 1934 vintage North
Junction road is widened to 28 feet. The new Rim parking lot
will cover 1/3 of an acre and hold 30 cars. The North Entrance
Station is moved 0.8 miles north of it’s present to better line
up with the 1980 boundary addition. Solar collectors are
installed on the roof of the station to generation electricity
for the station’s radios.
June
Twelve year-old Dana Jack, of Klamath Falls, falls into the
Rogue River at Natural Bridge near Union Creek and survives with
only minor injuries after being sucked through the quarter mile
lava tube.
A clogged sewer line near Park Headquarters spill sewage into
Annie Creek. People living along Annie Creek are warned to boil
their water. (Oh no, not 1975 all over again!)
July 17
The Portland architectural firm of BOOR-A heads up a team of
structural, electrical and mechanical engineers to determine if
the 75 year old Crater Lake Lodge is worth saving. This $144,000
study will “be the final and definitive study that will help
determine the Lodge’s fate.“ Congressman Jim Weaver says that
all previous studies contained errors and biases and that the
previous studies called for turning the Lodge into a building
with “contemporary standards”. The new study will redefine
“rustic standards”.
August
John Salinas, Lake researcher, finds that the Lake clarity has
returned to 40 meters, almost equaling the 1969 record of 44
meters. Speculation continues as to why the Lake has clarity
cycles. The nutrient rich spring flowing from an old sewer leach
field beneath Rim Village remains suspect.
August 3
Ranger John Salinas discovers human ashes “not 20 feet from the
Mt. Scott Trail, on saddle”. The plastic bag was removed. The
label was posted into the Mt. Scott Lookout Log Book. “Cheri
Mari Peterson, age 32, Place of death: El Centro, CA. Date of
cremation: July 22, 1982. Mortician: Hems Brothers Mortuary,
Frye Chapel and Mortuary Crematory, Brawley, CA 92227
August 10
The 10th Annual Crater Lake Rim Run is conducted under the
watchful eye of a 7 member Rim Run observation team charged with
the job of assessing the run’s impact on the Park. 310 runners
participate.
6.7 miles Kenny White of Medford, Oregon 33.50
Connie Reints of Bend, Oregon 42.35
13.0 miles Dave Trooesch 1:21.53
Sidney Morrison 1:32.53
26.2 miles Toby Skinner 2:45.15
Virginia Falkowski 3:19.11
(breaking the previous record of 3:28.26)
August 10
Lee Juillerat and Ed Otterson, both of Klamath Falls, complete
their 10th straight year of running the Rim Run. Portlander Ray
Langston, 50, placing number 51, completes his 51st marathon in
one year. Ray expects to run 58 marathons this year, with two
days to spare. This will set a new running record. The Rim Run’s
first wheel chair contestant, a woman, “wheeled” the 6.7 mile
section, finishing number 48.
August 17
Secretary of the Interior, Donald Hodel, flies by helicopter to
view the two controversial geothermal energy test drilling sites
located on the east boundary of the Park. In a press conference,
the secretary said he did not know whether a geothermal power
plant could be compatible with the Park. “I’m confident that no
activities will occur that will jeopardize the Park. “ The
secretary also visits the old Lodge. The NPS has been forced to
rethink plans to abandon the 75 year-old structure because of
public outcry. Hodel said that he would prefer saving the
building. “These kind of buildings have a place in the hearts of
the people who visit the parks.”
August 17
A helicopter flies roof trusses to Wizard Island for a new
research boat house. Because of volunteer help, the cost is held
to $35,000. Thirty five men from the Medford Navy Seabee unit
and a team of Student Conservation Association volunteers
contribute over 2,000 hours of work worth $33,000. The new boat
house will allow year-round Lake study and will include an
emergency Lake shelter. Concern is still expressed about the
loss of the Lake’s clarity.
September
The North Entrance Road is closed to all traffic to allow time
for the road contractor to finish widening and repaving the road
before the winter snow storms set in.
Fall
The Department of Energy reports that air visibility at Crater
Lake Park is impaired by man-made smoke and dust for an average
of about 4% of the time, during daylight hours, as compared with
the Northern Cascades visibility being impaired up to 15 percent
of the time.
The latest Lodge study reports that the renovation of the Lodge
up to even “rustic” standards, keeping the same room sizes,
etc., would cost $5.2 million. If the Lodge were brought up to
modern standards, with larger rooms, the cost would be around
$8.6 million.
October
Mail Tribune editorial writer, Richard Sept is invited to
observe the annual Rim Run. He writes, “ I found the run was
well organized and remarkable tidy. The road closures did not
appear to cause problems. The run brings people into the park
who appreciate its beauty and respect it special
qualities. These runners might be generally deranged, but they
are a most pleasant and sociable bunch. The 310 runners did not
interfere with normal usage; they didn’t impair park services or
pose any safety problems. They rather peacefully covered the
formidable course, and they cleaned up carefully. Those who
encountered them discovered courteous people who enjoy blue
skies, clean air and nature’s beauty. The park should be lucky
if all its visitors behaved as well.’
1985 Season
Visibility at Crater Lake is impaired by man-made smoke and dust
an average of about 4 percent of the time during daylight hours,
according to a recent study by the state Department of
Environmental Quality.
Season Visitation: 427,927
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1984
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