Winter
John Day (in his 60’s) of Medford and the Italian Olympic ski team ski around the Rim in 6.5 hours. The Italian team claims that the snow conditions were so perfect, that if they hadn’t had “Old John” with them, they could have done the 36 miles in 2.75 hours. A snowmobile broke trail and set track ahead of the team.
Winter
Free Ranger-led snowshoes hikes begun at Rim Village.
January
Park Master Plan accepted for Crater Lake National Park. The plans call for keeping the Park as is, except for some small improvements. Mazama Campground will be extended by 50 tent sites and a camper store will be built. The Rim Center, Visitor Center and the Lodge sleeping cabins will be removed. The plans also call for a rerouting of the Rim Village cross traffic away from the edge of the Caldera and a restoration of the area with native plants. When funds become available, an all-weather Visitors Center will be built on the Rim in the middle of the old parking lot, in front of the Cafeteria. Thus the Visitors Center will become the focal point of interest and not the souvenir shop.
January 16
Jackson County Sheriff Deputies arrest three subjects on Highway 62 who had stolen a purse from a car at Rim Village. The whole incident turns out to be a misunderstanding.
April
Mr. George Woodfield, of Yakima, Washington, donates John Maben’s collection of negatives, manuscripts, diaries and photographs of Crater Lake to the Oregon Historical Society. John Maben was the first winter caretaker of Crater Lake Lodge in 1924. Maben had attracted considerable attention when his monthly dispatches about his solitary life at Cater Lake were published in national magazines. Maben’s collection was presented to the OHS in memory of Alta Knips Woodfield, Maben’s niece, who had done a great deal of research on the history of Crater Lake.
May
Least yearly snowfall on record – 251.21 inches. (21 feet), but one of the wettest months on record.
May
Excessive rain and low snow pack causes extensive damage to the North Road. In order to minimize shoulder damage, the road crews removes the boards covering the entrance to the North Junction Cave and allows 2 feet per second of water to drain into the cave for two weeks. The cave never did fill.
June 4
The North Road is finally closed because of hazardous washout conditions in the Red Cone area caused by heavy snow run-off promoted by warm temperatures and the frozen ground.
Rescue of two young men from below Discovery Point.
June 10
Senator Mark Hatfield visits Crater Lake and is hosted by the Concessionaire for breakfast.
July
John Wesley Hillman’s grand niece, Pearl Verschoor of Medford, visits the Park.
Barry Vogel, boat driver, ascends the Cleetwood Trail in 10 minutes, 20 seconds and sets his sights on Olympic competition.
Two visitor vehicles burn to the ground.
Dutton Creek Trail is reopened to the public after many years of disuse. The trail was the original, 1860’s, 70’s and 80’s wagon trail to the Rim.
Construction begun on the widening of the first three miles of the West Rim Drive, beginning at Rim Village.
July 4
Steven Hummerville, 14, of Wilmington, Delaware, falls to his death while attempting to climb down to the Lake from behind the lodge. His brother Mike, 15, is rescued after failing to reach his brother. The father, an engineer for Dupont, had planned to take the boys on a boat trip, following short noon-time nap in the Lodge. Steven’s mother had died the previous summer.
July 23
Four car clouters arrested by Rangers Lloyd Smith and Bruce Wadlington near Diamond Lake after stealing over $2,000 from two vehicles parked at Cleetwood Cove. The four were brought back to the Park and eventually lodged in the Jackson County Jail.
July 30
Two C.B. radios, worth $448, are stolen from a camper at Mazama Campground through an elaborate confidence game.
August
The Lodge Company, along with the help of Paul Herron, age 73, places new buoys at Cleetwood and removes the old anchors, which had been made from old engine blocks.
One Peregrine falcon seen flying over the Lake.
August 1
Falling rocks on Cleetwood Cove Trail injures two women hikers.
The new Park Master Plan is now available for public inspection.
August 11
Dr. Kenneth Cooper, the nationally famous aerobics expert and writer, visits the Park and walks the Lake Trail. Dr. Cooper is impressed with the annual marathon run and wants to involve some of his acquaintances. Dr. Cooper feels that people from all over the country would come to Crater Lake if they know about the run.
