Friends of CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK Volume 6 No. 1 * Spring 2001 Page Two

NO VOLUNTEER FIRE LOOKOUT THIS SUMMER The Fire Lookouts at Crater Lake are closed this summer. The work on the historic Watchman Fire Lookout is continuing. Last summer most of the exterior work was completed. This summer work shifts to the interior. The museum at the base of the Lookout will be rehabilitated and also the Lookout Room on top of the building will be done. The second fire lookout at Crater Lake, Mt. Scott is closed because of accumulated weather damage. Watch for articles about the Crater Lake Fire Lookouts in future Friends Newsletters. The Friends hope the chance to volunteer in the Lookouts will resume next summer for the Centennial. Watchman Fire Lookout SNOW...WHAT SNOW by Dave Brennan As March comes to a close, we're seeing an unusual thing in the park….bare ground! This has been an exceptionally dry winter throughout the Pacific Northwest, and the park is no exception. As of March 30, our total snowfall for the winter has been only 233 inches. Our average annual snowfall is 550 inches, and the record low snowfall is 243 inches. As I write this, the sun is streaming through my office window — a window that is normally buried in snow at this time of year. The snow depth at park headquarters is only 40 inches, and is normally about 120 inches on this date. Although April can be a fickle month, with monthly snowfall in the park ranging from 7 to 100 inches, April 1 is normally the date of maximum snowpack in western mountains. Significant snowfall can and does happen after this date, but warming temperatures, a steeper sun angle and longer days after April 1 normally cause a net loss in the snowpack as spring melt begins. In recent weeks, the park staff has been meeting to plan for the spring opening of roads and facilities, and we have recognized that it will likely come earlier this year. If the current weather trends continue, it is quite likely that the North Entrance Road could be open by Memorial Day, and Rim Drive could be open by mid June! This is an exciting time of year for the park and for our visitors as the park begins to emerge from winter and the long sunny days of summer approach. It also presents challenges in plowing roads, opening facilities and gearing up the sudden increase in visitation. And, for you skiers, that stuff we ski on is going fast, so you may want to plan your spring skiing trip early this year! Rim Village View from the Crater Lake Cam shows the low snow depth at the edge of the parking lot.		SUMMER PROJECT WEEKEND Crater Lake wants to have a nice project for the Friends this Summer. Dave Brennan and the other Park Rangers are thinking about continuing the Videa Falls Picinic Area rehabilitation and Crater Peak Trail Relocation that the Friends worked on last summer. Project weekend coordinators Greg Reddell and Greg Hartell have been talking with Dave Brennan and other Crater Lake staff to make plans for the Summer Project Weekend. The Project Weekend is targeted for August 17, 18, and 19. Snow shouldn't delay the project this year. There will be some construction work by Crater Lake Park Maintenance this summer at the picnic area that Dave is going to coordinate Friends projects with. There will be some nice projects for that the Friends can complete to help out the Crater Lake Park Maintenance. There will continuing work on the Crater Peak Trail, rehabilitation of closed roads and barren areas at the picinic area, and relocating and planting shrubs and plants. Dave is looking into having the Friends camp at the Lost Creek Campground. Crater Lake will have the Northwest Job Corps this summer and they will also be using that campground. There is potential to tie the efforts at the Adopt a Highway to do some projects also. Maybe there can be some plant rescueing and replanting at the Videa Falls Picinic Area. Watch for the Summer Update for more information about the Friends Project Weekend and Greg Reddell and Greg Hartell would like to have a nice turnout of Friends. KITCHEN STUFF The Volunteer House at Sleepy Hollow needs Kitchen utensils, cooking pots, pans, plates, glasses, silverware. If you have been a Winter Rim Desk Volunteer it's a nice experience to stay over night there. If you have kitchen things that aren't needed, the Volunteer's House does. Contact your local Board Member and they will get the kitchen things to Crater Lake.
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