Former Naturalist Publishes 3rd Edition of Crater Lake Book

Rod Cranson served as a park ranger with the Crater Lake Interpretive Staff for seven seasons and has visited the park during many other summers. During the late 1970s and early 1980s he was the only geologist on the seasonal park staff, so part of his duty was to interact with the field geologists to share research findings with other members of the interpretive staff and park visitors. It was during this time that the Chief of Interpretation, Pat Smith, suggested that an up-to-date book on the park's geology would make a nice addition to the interpretive program. Rod picked up on this idea and wrote the first edition of Crater Lake — Gem of the Cascades. It was published in 1980, the same year that Mount St. Helens erupted in Washington State, a few hundred miles north of Crater Lake.

By late 1981, the entire printing of 2,000 copies had been sold, so it was time for a 2nd edition. A much improved version was prepared and 7,000 copies were printed ­ Rod figured they would last forever. After all, how many people would buy a book on the geology of a national park in Oregon? He was wrong and Crater Lake — Gem of the Cascades was out of print again by the early 1990s.

The new version, a 3rd edition, is much improved over the earlier books. It is more than 50% longer and features a larger format along with a series of color plates. During the 1980s and 1990s a great amount of field work on the geology of Crater Lake was conducted and has been included in this new edition. In addition, two new chapters were added. The 3rd edition is nearly 200 pages long with eight pages of color photographs.

Rod received both his Bachelors of Science and Masters degrees from Michigan State University in preparation for a career in petroleum geology. However, the opportunity to teach Earth Science in high school led to a career in education and his first teaching position was at Waverly High School near Lansing, Michigan. In 1966, he accepted a position with the Science Department at Lansing Community College, teaching natural science and geology. It was during his 27 years at Lansing Community College that many summers were spent at Crater Lake.

What's next on Rod's agenda? Of course he will be returning to the park with a supply of his Crater Lake books and will continue doing field work. Another writing project is underway. It combines his background in teaching with the Crater Lake experience to produce a series of classroom-ready activities. Each one will feature a specific aspect of Crater Lake's geology using a hands-on approach. Rod has already written and presented a couple of them at science teacher's conferences.

Rod is a member of Friends of Crater Lake National Park and the Crater Lake Natural History Association. He resides in Lansing, Michigan with his wife, Sharon. They have two grown children and 4 grandchildren.

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