Karn Stiegelmeier, 1978-1981

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Crater Lake National Park Centennial Oral Histories

Karn Stiegelmeier, 1978-1981

My Crater Lake memories include no clarity on which actual summers I spent there, but extremely clear visions of looking deeply into the water, peering ever so carefully to the east from Mt. Scott looking for fires, conjuring up visions of the inside of the Mazama volcano for visitors on my MANY boat trips (I always asked for as many boat trips in my schedule as possible!) Memories of watching the brilliant mountain bluebirds perching, bald eagles soaring and the wildflowers blooming are matched only by so many unique and precious moments with my cohorts and friends in the splendor of Crater Lake’s wonders— lightning, love, running up Mt. Garfield, running the Crater Lake marathon and then throwing up the long awaited beer at the finish line, staring at the stars with Hank and Ron. Perhaps most vivid: Dancing, dancing at the boat dock to Dixie Chicken, dancing at Sentinel Lookout, dancing under the sun in the crater of Wizard Island with a ring of clouds and rainbows on the rim, dancing everywhere. Sharing quesadillas, espressos, champagne and talk with Teri, Nancy and Debbie. Cheesecake, champagne and Tim, the eternal enigma. The Winter Solstice ski trip around the lake in a storm which was my mental return strong point for future endeavors: No matter how tired, there is always a reserve of energy to go forward. I certainly never imagined all of this could ever be so far in the past as it is today in 2002. All those memories are still an ever present part of me today.

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