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February 19

Al Hendricks, EOD’s as the Park’s 24th superintendent. In 1961 Mr. Hendricks, along with his parents, visited Crater Lake and took a boat ride. “One of our concerns is to maintain that water clarity. We’re going to be in a position of doing everything was can to be more efficient, yet serve the public better. At the same time, we need to protect our natural resources.”

June 3

A Chinook helicopter from the Washington Army Reserve drops a new 12,000 pound, $150,000, 33 foot, research boat onto the Lake from Discovery Point. The new boat is especially designed for work on Crater Lake and is unofficially christened “Neuston” for an organism that dwells on the surface of the Lake. The old research boat in removed. Researchers had used old pontoon-style boats for the past eight years, but the vessels would rock heavily during lake swells. The Neuston will provide better safety for researchers while giving them a few extra advantages such as radar and a crane. The boat will also be used for search and rescue.

June 28

A three year-old boy falls three stories from Room 301 and lands in a newly planted bush between the Lodge and the caldera wall. Rescued by doctor father and airlifted out by helicopter. Was unhurt. The boy had leaned against an unhooked window screen while sitting on the window box.

August 12

20th Annual Crater Lake Rim Run Winners:

Men:  6.7  Scott Van Jacob, of Carlisle, Penn  35:49
      13.0 Scott Martin, 31, of Ashland, OR  1:20:43 (Scott’s third win)
      26.2 Jerry Spears, 30, of Lancaster, CA  2:40:30 (new course record)
Women:  6.7 Monica Hakki-’Davidson, 23, West Linn, OR 40:24
      13.0 Rosa Gutierres, 31, of Sunnyvale, CA 1:24:14 (new course record) 
      26.2 Carol Tuckerman, 30, of Dundee, OR 3:31:45

August 22

Dorothy Gifford, a 73 year-old Medford woman falls to her death from Sinnott Overlook. The woman was sitting on the stone wall, changing film in her camera, when she apparently fainted from the combination of high elevation and the effects of recent surgery and plunged 700 feet to the rocks below. 

September 24

An Aerospatiale AS 350 helicopter from Seattle, (heading for Las Vegas) crashes and sinks in 1,500 feet of water between Wizard Island and the Lodge. Several dozen Park visitors watched while the helicopter skimmed over the smooth surface of the Lake and then suddenly plunged into the deep water. Speculation is that the pilot, George W. Causey, 52, of Enumclaw, WA, became confused by the near perfect reflection as he flew toward the Lake reflection thinking it was the sky. There was no indication of engine problems. Killed, along with the pilot. was passenger Edward O. Tulleners of West Linn, on his 45th birthday. The helicopter was a seven passenger Eurocopter, built by the World’s largest manufacturer of civil helicopters. Little was recovered except for some shreds of the rotors and a seat cushion. In June, 1996, Park Superintendent Al Hendricks was quoted as saying, “The technology is there to proceed with recover. What we are struggling with is whether it’s worth it. Both families decided the bottom of Crater Lake would be a pretty good place (for the crash victims) to spend eternity.”

December

Crater Lake, along with most other Federal facilities, is shut down for three weeks due to a Congressional budget battle and impasse. 

Season 1995

Shopping for the first time has replaced Crater Lake as the region’s most popular tourist draw. In a survey conducted by the S.O. V.A of the most-visited places in the region, respondents cited shopping number one at 41 percent followed by Crater Lake at 39 percent, historical sites at 30 percent, and Shakespeare at 19 percent.

A total of 17 fires for the season. Nine were human caused and 8 were lightening caused. The largest (Calypso) 10 acres, grew to about 10 acres.

Fiscal Year 1995

ONPS Budget set at: $2.7 million

Season 1995 Visitation: 542,611

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