Crater Lake National Park Centennial Oral Histories
Becky Hunt, 1973
I worked in the laundry, and the gift shop next to the cafeteria. It was a great summer, and I enjoyed hiking, biking and walking in the flower garden with my boyfriend. He ended up as my husband and we’ve been married since 1974! Crater Lake is good for romancing! Our lives have come full circle and we now live in the Klamath Basin once more. Our daughter Megan Hunt, worked in the cafeteria for half of last summer. Our family has always enjoyed the wonder of Crater Lake National Park.
One summer was all it took to fall in love. It was my boyfriend who made sure it was with him first and the lake second! My mother had brought us kids up before the season opened and we found that employment was open. It wasn’t long before I returned to begin work in the lodge laundry for half the summer and the concessions gift shop the other half It was the last summer employees roomed on the third and fourth floors of the lodge. In between work shifts, I did a variety of things that made for a most pleasant season. I took plenty of pictures and being a former California kid, was amazed to see snow on July first. One rare morning the waters were so still that a picture I took of the moment was of a mirror image of the sky and lake. I was told to look for the image of Yogi Bear on Garfield Peak as the snows melted, and stories from ‘old timers’ abounded about people who applied to be ‘Captain of the Phantom Ship’ or who wanted to know if they could work at Castle Rock. Whatever happened to ‘the old man of the lake’? the old floating log… I biked around the rim once, but accepted a ride from some people in a van when I underestimated the time and it began to get dark. I hiked to a nearby peak with some friends, and another time took the old boat trail, barely visible, down to the lake. Only the help of another hiker saved me from being a rescue statistic when I couldn’t see the trail to go back up. A boat trip to Wizard Island with a friend gave me the chance to test the information that the water is cold not far under the surface. I learned some fun skits as groups of employees got together to entertain guests, and was astonished at the groups of people who came into the gift shop, asking “Where’s the Lake?” It was fascinating to hear and see people of many nationalities visiting the Park.
Hiking, biking, taking pictures, listening to the ranger talks, and of course strolling through the wildflower garden with my boyfriend, who is now my husband, made for a wonderful summer to remember at Crater Lake National Park.
