<<
1995
1996
1997
>>
January
170 inches of snowfalls in 17 days. Downs thousands of trees
throughout the region. West Entrance road is closed from Union
Creek.
Jan - Feb
14 feet of snow in 17 days.
January 6
Crater Lake reopens for business following a three-week shut
down because of a Federal budget shutdown.
February 7
Crater Lake Highway 6,. between Union Creek and Annie Spring,
opens after being closed for three weeks due to thousands of
blown down trees.
July 29
The Bybee Fire, near the base of the Watchman, burns 62 acres
after being allowed to burn as a natural prescription burn. As
it approached Rim Drive, 50 fire fighters were brought in for
several weeks, along with a helicopter. Costs associated with
the fire fighting effort climbed to the neighborhood of $15,000
to $20,000.
August
Launch tours are carrying 500 passengers a day with 7 - 10 boat
trips per day.
August
The Park Service releases its Environmental Impact Statements
for the restoration and redevelopment of the Cleetwood Cove
Trail and boating facilities. The dock and ticket booth are old
and need replacement or repair. Retaining walls along the trail
are in similar condition according to the MT.
August 10
21th annual running of the Crater Lake Rim Run. (108 Marathon
runners, 133 thirteen mile runners & 199 runners for the 6.7
run.) A very hot day. Martin Balding of Susanville, CA runs his
17th CL Run and places second in the marathon distance. Penny
Lancaster of Neenah, Wisc. runs her 25th marathon and her first
CL Run. Runners entered from four countries and 26 states. 25
runners over 60, with Paul Conner of Klamath Falls the oldest at
73.
Men: 6.7 Ryan Pauling, of Tacoma, Wash. 36:06
13.0 Ted Pawlik, 40, of Albany, OR 1:25.58 (fourth CL
run)
26.2 Erich Reed, 28, of Eugene, OR 3:03.22 (Reed’s first
ever marathon)
Women: 6.7 Rykka Wienert, of Corvallis, OR 42:18
13.0 Myra Klettke, of Beaverton, OR 1:30.02
26.2 Karen Rayle, 24, teacher in Beijing, China 3:24.13
(new women’s record)
August 13
A 13-member search-and-rescue team spend the night looking for
two teens stranded below Hilman and Watchman. Brain Conion and
Jason Raver of Eugene, both 17, had one shirt between them and
both were dressed in shorts. The team plucked them from the
crater wall the next morning. One of the boys’ mother
unsuccessfully tried to stop the illegal hike.
August 17
Wedding held at Cloud Cap. A windy, smoke filled day.
Summer
The Park buys its first real fire truck at a cost of
$285,000. The purchase elates the Chief Ranger.
Construction begins on a $7.5 million, 35,000 square foot Lodge
employee dorm to be located across the South road from Mazama
Campground, near the sewer lagoons. Will be built in three
units. Since the Park wants to maintain control over the
building, the dorm is being financed with Federal money. Will be
completed in 1998.
Proposal made for a $250,000 rehab and restoration of the
Watchman Fire Lookout.
The proposed total Rim Development with day lodge, visitor
center, parking garage and overnight accommodations declared
dead, or at least “30 years distant.” The costs had ballooned to
$64 million. A more modest plan is proposed to rehabilitate the
Sinnott Overlook, the Kaiser Studio and the Stone Comfort
Station. The wooden 1921 Community Building is slated to be torn
down because of having “no significant historic or cultural
value.”
September 11
Lodge employee, Kristen Gehling, 20, falls to her death on Mt.
Thielsen. An Oregon National Guard helicopter flew in from Salem
with special night-vision goggles and located the body at 2:55
a.m. in hazardous terrain and held off moving Gehling until
after daylight.
Fall
Park purchases a new Kodiak snowplow at a cost of $325,000. The
Chief of Maintenance is elated.
Season
A recent survey reveals that poachers annually comb the flanks
of Crater Lake for matsutake mushrooms that can bring as much as
$100 a pound.
Fiscal Year 1996
ONPS Budget set at: $3.3 million. The first time the Park’s
operating budget has topped $3 million..
Season Visitation: 526,557
<<
1995
1996
1997
>>
