Volunteering Your Time for Crater Lake
So, you are thinking about volunteering at Crater Lake? Here is some information to help you get started.
The Park – You can volunteer directly through the National Park Service’s Volunteers-In-Parks Program (VIP). The primary purpose of the VIP program is to provide a vehicle through which the National Park Service can accept and utilize voluntary help and services from the public.
- Contact information for Crater Lake N.P. – P. O. Box 7, Crater Lake, Oregon 97604, (541) 594-3000; Crater Lake National Park website – this link is specifically for volunteering.
The Ski Patrol – The Crater Lake Ski Patrol is a nationally-recognized and highly-spirited group of volunteers has around thirty-five members who work under the management of the National Park Service. Crater Lake Institute has donated equipment to this fine group. It is partially sponsored by Crater Lake Instutute.
The patrol not only contributes to the day-to-day activities that keep the park looking pristine during the winter months. They are also essential to visitor safety, stemming from a proactive management approach. Although the park spans nearly 200,000 acres, its Visitor and Resource Protection Staff consists of only three field rangers during the winter, so the support provided by the ski patrol is invaluable.
The Friends of Crater Lake – This is another invaluable non-profit that helps build trails, erect signs, organize events and much more.
To sign-up or receive more information contact Larry Smith, Friends volunteer coordinator, 315 Laurelwood Drive, Jacksonville, OR 97530, telephone (541) 899-7402, email jvsmith@clearwire.net.
Related Links
- Exploring Crater Lake in Winter: Volunteers Answer Pressing Questions – December 15, 2007 – Crater Lake News – He and other volunteers are at the information desk, near windows that provide a protected view of the lake and surrounding mountain, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and during the Christmas holidays. The room itself is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Crater Lake Seeks Volunteers – October 27, 2007 – Crater Lake News – Volunteers willing to field questions and provide information about winter activities at Crater Lake National Park are being sought by the Friends of Crater Lake.
- Crater Lake Ski Patrol looking for members – October 18, 2007 – Crater Lake News – If the idea of an evening ski tour at Crater Lake sounds appealing, you might want to think about joining the volunteer ski patrol….
- Volunteers become Park Service’s public face November 28, 2006 – Crater Lake News – Farther West, at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon, Lloyd and Larry Smith have retired from teaching public school students and seasonal ranger jobs to volunteer their services at Crater Lake and Mount Rainier.
- Teens rehabilitate trails near Crater Lake – August 18, 2005 – Crater Lake News – Why else would a crew of a dozen teenagers doing trail work in Crater Lake National Park’s backcountry willingly hike two miles to gobble lunch in the shadow of Stuart Falls, then reverse the trek – a steeply uphill walk – to spend the afternoon widening the path, pulling out exposed rocks and replacing them with dirt fill, trimming limbs and other sweat-inducing tasks.
- Friends of Crater Lake to repair Annie Creek – August 03, 2004 – Crater Lake News – The Friends of Crater Lake, a volunteer group that offers assistance to Crater Lake National Park, will join a park trail crew to help repair Annie Creek Aug. 20 to 22.
- Crater Lake ski patrol earns national honors – May 29, 2003 – Crater lake News – This isn’t the season for cross country skiing, but for members of the Crater Lake National Park Ski Patrol it is a time for celebrating.
- Crater Lake Ski Patrol crucial to park operations – February 21, 2002 – Crater Lake News – There’s a reason why members of the Crater Lake Ski Patrol wear red coats.
