Crater Lake Special Events Log

The Smith Brothers' Chronological History of Crater Lake National Park

1978

$250,000 is appropriated for reroofing the Lodge. The project doesn't begin until the summer of 1981.

February 11, 1978

The Crater Lake Wildereness/Cross Country Ski Race is resurrected after a lapse of 40 years. Gary Dilesky of Hillsboro, Oregon wins the 14 (or it could be 16 mile), "B" ski race in one hour and 54 minutes.

Dave Beck of Klamath Falls wins the "C" ski race in one hour and 48 minutes.

73 year-old Pete Hedberg, winner of the 323 mile, 1933 Crater Lake - Fort Klamath Ski Race, skis the 14 miles on his old-fashioned cumbersome wooden skis.

Mr. E. Nordeen, 88 years old and former winner, visits the ski race and tells stories about his skiing adventures. (See 1929 entry)

February 20, 1978

The Fulton's mail delivery suburban flips over on the South Road.

March 29, 1978

Six rangers lower the Park's inflatable rescue raft over the Rim and into the Lake for a practice exercise. The first record of winter boating on the Lake.

March 31, 1978

The NPS reports that the new Annie Spring water system has cost $452,596. A total of 1,617 tort claims have been submitted against the Park due to illness caused by the sewer overflow. The loss has totaled $398,614, with several claims still pending. The only lawsuit filed against the government has been filed by the Crater Lake Lodge Company to edemnify them against future claims.

May 21, 1978

Hank Tanski, new Assistant Chief of Interpretation, EOD's. Hank holds the position for 10 years before transferring to John Day NM. (and retiring from the NPS in 1997)

June 1978

Freddy (possibly Freda)a red fox takes up residence along the Rim Village Rock Wall. He/she makes a living off of numerous Golden Mantle Ground Squirrels. The sight of G.M.G.S. tails and feet sticking out of the fox's mouth sickens many Park visitors.

Summer 1978

Rangers Marion Jack and Vic Affolter hear something large crashing through the forest at the old PCT entrance on the West Road. A pine cone is tossed through the air and the strong odor emanating from whatever it was is overpowering.

July 1978

Assault by a Forest Service employee on Rangers Hershel Henderly and Jim Donovan at Rim Village. The visitor's vehicle was chased by several armed rangers to the West Road, where the subject was subdued and arreested with force. The subject was released the next day by the courts and given a light misdemeanor sentence and small fine.

July and August 1978

And during the 1979 season, Dr. Doug Larson, using 350 water samples, identified 99 species of Lake algae. Most are rare, with only 6 or 7 species being predominate. Obtains a Secchi Disc reading of only 67 feet, or about half the clarity distance measured in 1969.

July 14, 1978

A park visitor runs up and down Wizard Island in 18 minutes after forgetting his tripod at the top. The tour boar was waiting for him.

July 24 to September 21 1978

A large lighting storm sets several fires in the Park and surrounding area. Two of the fires are allowed to burn. The Sun Creek fire burns 1.5 acres. The Crater Peak-Goodbye Fire eventually burns 540 acres and kills 10% of the mature trees in the path of the flames. Basically the fire is a ground fire, as brush and accumulated fuels are burned out. Large animals, such as elk are seen in the area as the flames cool down. The fire was named "Goodbye" as it signaled a goodbye to the old fire management plan of attacking and putting out every forest fire. Depending on where the fire is in the Park, its cause and season of the year, some fires will be allowed to burn themselves out naturally. Since the Goodbye fire was within sight of visitors entering the Park from the South, a large sign was placed on the road., new "Natural Fire, Do Not Report." Rangers were also stationed along the Road to explain to visitors the reasons for allowing a naturally caused fire to burn.

July 29, 1978

John White, an NPS seasonal employee, runs from headquarters to the top of Garfield Peak and back again without stopping, in 45 minutes.

August 1978

A new water system and pipes are installed at the Lost Creek Campground.

August 12th, 1978

Third annual Rim Run. 457 runners, 82 which are National Park employees. Nine finish the full 26 mile run.

Rim Run Winner's

Men:

6.5 Greg Sprill Springfield, Oregon 33.41

13.0 Darcy Burleson Phoenix, Oregon 1:13.11

26.2 Thom Burelson Eugene, Oregon 2: 37.29

Women:

6.5 Carol Kohieim Crater Lake, Oregon 47:13

13.0 Darcy Burleson Chico, California 1:39.24

26.2 Sally Edwards Chico, California 3:33.49

August 13, 1976

Large landslide scars the face of Cloudcap and "Chief Red Cloud's" face.

August 22 1978

NPS director, Bill Whalen, visits Crater Lake for two days.

August 24, 1978

Massive air and ground search conducted by the National Guard and volunteers in search for a Cessna 182 that disappeared in the Crater Lake area with three on board, February, 1975. The search concentrates on a 500 square mile region in the southwestern portion of the Park in the Northeast corner of Jackson County. The results were negative.

August 27, 1978

Jim Rouse, Crater Lake 22nd superintendent, enters on duty.

August, 1978

Due to a misunderstanding of the boat schedule, an older couple is leftover night on Wizard Island. They light a huge fire which is easily seen from rim Village, but because of the danger of running a boat at night, rescue is held off until first light. The woman in the group promises to really stir things up in Washington "because of top connections." Superintendent Rouse treats the two of them to breakfast at the Lodge.

September 8, 1978

Gary Roden, 29, of Enumclaw, Washington asked Ranger Hank Tanski for permission to leave his pack at the visitor center for a few hours while he explored the Rim Village area. When Gary did not return by closing time, Hank left a message and phone number on the door of the center and took the pack Headquarters, returning to the Rim several times during evening in search of Roden. Several days later, Hank discovered a postcard of Wizard Island in Roden's pack saying, "I are on the Island, and I'm not coming back alone." This note, plus the report of several visitors say they had seen movement on the Island, prompted Tanski and Rick Kirschner to attempt a rescue in the Park's Zodiac Raft which first required carrying the boat down the Cleetwood Lake Trail. As the craft arrives outside the boathouse, the door was flung to open and Roden in asked "Are you looking for someone?"

Roden in claims to have swum over to the Island with the idea committing suicide by swallowing drugs, including cocaine. Roden had a change of heart and supposedly burned the drugs. He spent the first two nights in the islands crater, the next two nights under the trees and one night in the boat house. He also thought that the Island would be a quiet place to play his silver flute, which he had brought with him. Roden's stated that the water was to cold to swim back, and waited five days for his rescue. The only food Gary was able to find is a shriveled up orange in one of the boat houses. On the way to Cleetwood, has Hank was offering Roden in part of his lunch, he asked Hank, "are there any fish in the Lake?" Since this is the number one question asked by visitors and since Hank had heard question all summer, he had said he felt like pushing Roden overboard. It was later determined that Roden and was a mental patient from Salem.

September 8, 1978