Oh, to Be So Diligent!
A golden-mantled ground squirrel that was found dead, apparently by drowning, behind the Crater Lake Lodge may hold a record for diligence in spite of his unfortunate end. This little fellow’s pouches were found to contain 736 seeds, each about two-thirds the size of a grain of wheat, and one half-peanut. The peanut undoubtedly came the “easy way”, as a handout, but the source of the seeds remains unexplained, since these seeds were the so called “canary seeds” which are packaged commercially as part of bird seed mixtures.
A Foggy Mood
Bright and early, September 1, 1953, those who approached the rim of Crater Lake were amazed to see, not the usual brilliant blue water, but a bowl of cloud. A fog bank completely filled the cauldron up to the 6500 foot level. The sky in all directions was clear, thus the great surprise. (See photo back cover).
A few hardy souls ventured forth on the boat trip that morning, with Mr. Paul Herron, boatmaster for the concessioner, at the helm. He stated that it was the densest fog he had ever experienced on the Lake. As the boat crept forward, all aboard had the impression of being literally “lost in the fog”, only occasionally to sight the rim walls through the mist.
Many eerie and mystic glimpses of the walls were seen that day. The high point came when the boat overshot the Phantom Ship and wandered in the fog near the middle of the Lake for about 15 minutes. However, all was clear by noon, revealing the Lake in its usual beauty, and those who took the trip were pleased to have had the unforgettable experience of seeing the Lake and the walls under such weird conditions.
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