Crater Lake Special Events Log

The Smith Brothers' Chronological History of Crater Lake National Park

1991
January 17, 1991: A federal official has ordered the suspension of geothermal exploration on the east boundary of Crater Lake. This supports the fear that exploratory drilling would tap into the source of warm water that feeds the Lake and could mar the Lake's clarity. Noise from the drilling operation could effect wildlife in the area.
March 1991: The "Mazama Tree" is uncovered in a lindfill by the Klamath County Dept. of Public Works. The tree is found standing upright-where it has sottd for the past 7,690 years. Hundreds of charred logs have been found, tumbled and burried by the glowing avalanches of Mt. Mazama, but this is the first such tree found that was covered so fast and sealed, the wood was preserved without being burned. The old Ponderosa pine (other accounts say cedar) looks and feels like it had been taken from a fresh tree. The 28 foot log was found standing upright, 35 feet below the surface. Four other tree wells have been uncovered in the area, but the wells were empty. The heat from the super hot pumice had literally vaporized the wood. The pine log was found to be approximately 300 years old at the time of encasement, 7,690 years ago.
1990 - 1991: Snowfall: 379 inches.
June 1991: The first phase of the Lodge rehabillitation project begins. Will cost $2.8 million. The "Great Hall", the center of the oldest section has deteriorated so badly, the middle section has to completely dismantled, including the stoome walls and the giant stone fireplace. Large cement foundation walls are poured and the stone work is reapplied as a veneer. By building 10 to 20 foot cement walls, stability is added to the center section. The remaining two end sections will be tied to the cement sections, thus helping to stabilize the wings of the building. The two wings will be reconstructed during phase two. Designers are targeting a 1925 look.
Summer 1991: Superintendent Robert Benton retires from the Park Service.
July 8 1991: Former President Carter visits Crater Lake. At 2:30 p.m. he stops by the Administration Building, then stops at Discovery Point briefly before leaving the Park.
October 1991: Searchers spend three weeks slogging through four feet of snow looking for Glenn Allen Mackie, 33, of Brea, California. Snow had begun falling when Mackie's car was first noticed in the parking lot. It contained his driver's license, keys, passport, cash and toiletries. No trace of the man was ever found.
October 16, 1991: David Morris EOD's as Crater Lake's 25th superintendent. Ben Ladd, superintendent of the John Day Fossil Beds served this past summer as acting superintendent. Mr. Morris come to Crater Lake from southeast Utah, where he served as assistant superintendent of a group of national parks, including Canyonlands, Arches and Natural Bridges NM. Morris says he is not coming to the Park with "any agenda from on high" but will emphasize resource protectoin and providing for visitor use. Morris wants Crater Lake to become more "user-friendly". Mr. Morris began his NPS career 31 years ago working at Crater Lake as a seasonal fire guard.
October 18, 1991: A plugged sewer line causes a sewage spill into Munson Creek. The spill entered the creek channel about a half mile above Park Headquarters.
Ocober 26, 1991: The 1988 Rim expansion and rehabilitation figure of $30 million has ballooned to $66.2 million. Lawmakers are complaining that the project has gotten too big and expensive. Park officials are preparing a list of options that include cutting down on the scope of the building program. This means the elimination of the multilevel parking structure, a shuttle bus system, comfort stations and a new concessionaire's dorm.
November 1991: Dr. Charlie Bacon's radiocarbon age date for Mazama climatic eruption originally palaced at 6845 BP is recalibrated to 7700 caldera years Before Present.
November 30, 1991: The NPS takes another look at plans for building a year-round hotel on the Rim of Crater Lake after the price tag doubles in three years. Congress balks at the funding, especially after spending $21 restoring the historic Lodge. Originally, the plan was to tear out Rim Village, build an 80-unit hotel and activity center on the site of the existing cafeteria and gift shop, remove the parking lot, restore the site to natural conditions and build another lot a quarter-mile down the hill that would be served by shuttle bus. Then the old lodge was to be restored. But because of its crumbling condition, restoration of the lodge was begun first. The total price tag for Rim Development has been estimated at $66 million. The NPCA, a conservation group that lobbies against commercialization of national parks hopes to capitalize on the growing cost and kill the project.
December 31, 1991: Due to the prolonged drought, new data places Crater Lake's average annual precipitation at 64 inches, down from the previous annual average of 69 inches.
Fiscal Year 1991