Friends of

CRATER LAKE'S REPORT

The Parks Company has chosen to recognize the park's sign program by awarding a $2,000 grant to the NPS. It will go toward producing more replicas of wood rustic signs produced by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s. Three sites have been tentatively chosen along East Rim Drive, with all of them being at trailheads: Mount Scott, Sun Notch, and the Castle Crest Wildflower Garden. David Harry uses historic photos and drawings as the basis for this type of sign. They come in various sizes, ranging from the huge signs found at the three road entrances to the diminutive markers meant to identity buildings. Each has a functional purpose, of course, but the lack of standardization also reflects the variety found in nature.

Most recently, Harry and his crew installed replica signage to mark a trail to the Lady of the Woods. It also serves to make the Park Headquarters Historic Walking Tour easier for visitors to find. Members of the Friends worked on this walking tour trail loop in 1999, an undertaking that included digging tread, building a foot bridge, and placing numbered posts at ten stations. The signs are the final piece of this project.

For those readers not familiar with the contributions of the Parks Company to Crater Lake National Park, their co-founder Mike Baggetta was responsible for the logo used for the centennial celebration in 2002. He also designed the Crater Lake license plate now available through the Department of Motor Vehicles. Mike's wife, artist Marla Baggetta, was commissioned for the original pastel artwork reproduced on the Crater Lake Centennial plate. The Parks Company contacted park staff as a way to solicit ideas on how to best utilize a donation. Baggetta and his business partner Joe Galliani chose the sign program because of its immediate impact on park visitors.

Steve Mark, Crater Lake National Park

PRESIDENT'S REPORT

We begin the tenth year of the Friends of Crater Lake with major accomplishments behind us and with new challenges ahead. Such is life! The Centennial Celebration year is drawing to a close. The Friends participated in a successful celebration. The park accomplished its major goals and we were pleased to support that effort. The Friends and the park owe our out-going president, Beverly Paulson, a major debt. She did a wonderful job of pulling us together during this very busy and important year.

The Friends have had the Centennial Celebration in our sights for the past five years. It is now time to refocus our energies in other directions. The Board will be meeting with Superintendent Lundy to gain a better understanding of just where our energies and resources will best serve the needs of the park.

We do know that the National Park Service, as well as Crater Lake National Park, is facing some severe budget challenges. Just how we can help encourage Congress and the Administration to support the national park idea as well as attempt to "fill in the gaps" locally will be the subject of discussions yet to come. Your ideas are more than welcome.

One of the ideas that we are currently kicking around is an electronic newsletter. This paper version requires a great deal of work by several people (mostly Greg Reddell, but he gets help from others as well) and is pretty expensive. Hence, we cannot publish very often. We would like to supplement the paper version with a more frequent electronic newsletter. Currently we don't have very many e-mail addresses. Please send yours to: jlbuckingham@ alwaysonnetworks.com

Most of our members live some distance from the park and are widely scattered. This makes it difficult not only to communicate with each other, but makes it difficult for most members to contribute (other than financially) to helping the park. Any ideas you have to improve this situation would be greatly appreciated.

Several people, most of whom have previously served on the board, are taking responsibility for discreet projects. We are finding that these smaller commitments have appeal. And, many of them can be efficiently accomplished from afar using the ubiquitous computer and e-mail! I think this kind of approach needs to be encouraged. There is only so much time that individual board members can contribute. We all need to "leverage" our individual efforts and involve more members. We will be highlighting some of these peoples' work in the newsletter. Hopefully this will give you ideas on how you can contribute.

George Buckingham
President of the Board

A TAPESTRY OF INSPIRATION
by Beverly Paulson, past president FCLNP

A three-day symposium celebrating the Centennial of the Park was held at Southern Oregon University and Crater Lake National Park October 4-6, 2002.

The event, woven with threads of inspiration, celebration and aspiration created a tapestry to provide guidance for the next 100 years. Threads representing the park as an artist's studio, threads as the park for education, threads as a sacred place and threads for science and learning in a natural laboratory.

John Reynolds, Senior Fellow, National Park Foundation and former Regional Director of the Pacific West Region, NPS added the final threads to the tapestry in the closing plenary session. I was impressed with his knowledge and insight as he reviewed the past, present and challenged us to a future role. I will give you a brief account of some of his thoughts.

The Organic Act of 1916 that created the NPS states "these places must be conserved (in 1916 language this means preserved) unimpaired. These places, these special, unique, treasured places, are to be preserved...for people...forever. They are the nation's gift of itself to itself and its people forever. Such an idea never existed anywhere before it started here in the United States and was expressed for only the sixth time at Crater Lake."

He emphasized parks are the gift of connecting a nation's past with its citizen community in the future, and giving them a national sense of place. He said, "A nation of great population, a nation on the move, a nation that is faster and faster in its pace is sill comprised of the same old kind of slowly evolved human beings--people who need to find opportunity for renewal and recreation." Margaret Ecker, one of the Artists in Residence wrote, "A park, like a garden, represents a kind of paradise we long to regain, a longing for a relationship to the universe that is still perfect." He went on to say, "We need to act to preserve this sense of place, to act so that our spirit can survive and prosper, so that we have places of communion and fountains of energy where we can walk through our individual and collective memory. May our children's grandchildren be able to pass it on to their children's grandchildren with hope, inspiration, love and understanding."

The future of Crater Lake National Park? It is up to us to start weaving another beautiful tapestry, one to be displayed at the Bicentennial in 2102. It happens one thread at a time.

AMERICANS FOR NATIONAL PARKS
by Beverly Paulson

Americans for National Parks is a broad coalition of nonprofit organizations, businesses, trade associations, individuals and other non-partisan supporters of the national parks, 385 units. The board of the Friends of Crater Lake National Park, voted in January, to become affiliated with this coalition in order to keep you, as a member, informed and as individuals to take action.

What is their purpose? This organization works to encourage Congress and the administration to address the full needs of the National Park System. While Congress has regularly increased the funds to protect the parks, the budget of the National Park Service has not kept pace with increased visitations and protection of our nations most treasured natural, cultural and historic resources. Parks also have to deal with decades of deferred maintenance, failing utility problems and health & safety issues.

Why are we a member of this coalition? Participation means involvement and action. Research has shown the Park Service's annual operations budget falls at least $600 million, or a third short of what is needed. President Bush knows there is a problem and has promised to provide $4.9 billion for the national parks over the next five years. Your voice is needed to make certain members of Congress know of your concern and to fully fund the needs of all national parks.

How can I become involved? You could receive a free, weekly electronic newsletter, National ParkLines, to stay informed about the latest news and action needed on important national park issues. Request information, e-mail www.americansfornationalparks.org or write to Americans for National Parks, 1300 19th St. N.W., Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036. Be informed, take action and be a voice for National Parks.

AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE
by Beverly Paulson

Serving as president of the FCLNP during the Centennial was an education, an inspiration and a personal challenge. The year was a memory maker, one I will never forget. The accomplishments, and there were many, were the result of cooperation and commitment among a broad based coalition of supporters.

It would be impossible to list and thank all of them. However, I wish to single out and extend appreciation and thanks to members of the FCLNP Board for their tireless work, the Friends who volunteered and contributed in so many ways and the Park Staff for their support. It was an incredible year for me and I hope for all of you.

GOVERNOR PROCLAIMS CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK DAY
by Glenn Kaye

It was Crater Lake National Park's official birthday and official centennial day. What better time for Oregon's governor John Kitzhaber to recognize one of the world's great natural resources and one of the landmark acts of the federal government. With obvious pleasure, governor Kitzhaber spoke before television cameras and school students in his office in the state capitol and spoke the following words:

WHEREAS: Crater Lake National Park is celebrating its 100th anniversary, May 22, 2002 and

WHEREAS: Crater Lake National Park is one of the world's most recognized natural wonders with a unique heritage and scientific significance, it is a crown jewel of the Pacific Northwest; and

WHEREAS: Crater Lake National Park is a popular tourist destination, attracting a half million visitors to Oregon each year; and

WHEREAS: Crater Lake National Park is an outdoor classroom and laboratory incorporating learning and exploration for students and scientists from around the world; and

WHEREAS: on this day, Crater Lake National Park is launching a celebration honoring its centennial that will include commemorations and activities through May 2003. Connecting people to its rich heritage and launching an exciting vision for the next 100 years; and

WHEREAS: the vision of the future of Crater Lake National Park includes the development of a Science and Learning Center, providing the opportunity to offer education and science information to all visitors and to conduct research in and around the deepest lake in North America.

NOW THEREFORE, I John A. Kitzhaber, Governor of the State of Oregon, hereby proclaim May 22, to be CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK DAY in Oregon and encourage all citizens to join in this observance

N.B. Affaciandos of record lists know that Great Slave Lake in Canada is a few dozen feet deeper

On May 21 Senators Gordon Smith and Ron Wyden of Oregon offered a resolution to the United States Senate on the historic observance:

"In a state blessed with so many beautiful lakes, mountains, forests, and rivers, Crater Lake reigns supreme as an awe-inspiring symbol of the power and beauty of nature's work," said Smith. "We are indebted to the vision of those who realized long ago that we need to conserve our country's natural treasures so that they can be enjoyed by future generations."

"Crater Lake provides an unparalleled reminder of the natural beauty of Oregon's land and the conservation ethic of Oregon's people," said Wyden. "On this, Crater Lake's centennial anniversary as a national park, our pride for this natural beauty remains as strong as it was a century ago."

ADOPT-A-BOUNDARY
by George Buckingham

Shortly after I arrived at Crater Lake (1989), it became painfully apparent that there was a great deal of work to be done on the park boundaries. While most rangers love it, this is the kind of work that takes a lot of time and effort. Unfortunately, there simply were not enough rangers to do the job. So, I looked around for some volunteers and even thought I had a group lined up. The project eventually fizzled and I gave up on the idea.

This was before there was a Friends of Crater Lake organization. My successor, Dave Brennan, came up with the same idea for the same reasons (He has even fewer rangers than I did!). I guess great minds do indeed run in the same gutter.

Dave held some training in July. I was unable to attend, but I understand they went over a number of topics, mostly concerning safety. Various people selected portions of the boundary they were interested in. A couple of my friends and I wanted to work the east side. We got a late start and have only spent two days in the late fall walking a short section south of Bear Butte.

Walking a boundary is a lot different from walking a trail. The people who lay out boundary lines usually use legal descriptions that are no respecters of topography. Thus we had to climb over numerous trees, scramble up washes and climb fairly steep hills. This we expected, and were suitably rewarded with, what must be, very clean arteries!

Finding a boundary line can be a challenge, especially in heavy timber. One of my friends has a Global Positioning System unit, which we used. We found it to be indispensable, making what is often a frustrating task, fairly simple. Since this is unpredictable work, we carried a fairly good supply of emergency gear, just in case things didn't go as planned. Either we planned well or were lucky. On both days we worked we ended up where and when we planned to. We did underestimate the time required to drive to our jump off points, but had left enough spare time for contingencies.

So, what did we do, what did we find? One big thing was an old fire. This was the infamous Prophecy Fire of 1988. You may recall this was a lightning strike that was managed for resource benefits for over a month before unexpected weather turned it into a wildfire which eventually crossed over onto the Winema National Forest, burning up a bunch of merchantable timber. Embarassing for the NPS (glad that wasn't on my watch!).

While fighting the fire the forest service moved bulldozers a mile into the park (due to confusion over just where the boundary really was). Embarassing for the USFS. Then there was a big battle over whether the burned timber on the USFS side should be salvaged. Eventually it was. It's a good example of good people making wrong decisions for all the right reasons. The only thing which kept this mess from become national headlines were the Yellowstone fires raging at the same time.

It was very interesting to cross right through the middle of it, talk about the history and see what has happened in the intervening 14 years. As expected, regrowth is occurring.

We found that this section had been surveyed and marked (just as I recalled), but the marking was very inadequate as far as letting the uninformed know they were entering a national park. We also found a number of boundary signs and posts that had been left uninstalled and on the ground by the surveyors in 1994. We hauled those out and gave them to Dave. We also found a couple of places where a number of people had walked into the park, at places most visitors never go. Being a suspicious old ranger, I suspect they were left by poachers, and duly notified the park staff.

The three of us found this to be a lot of fun. Kind of like a treasure hunt. You never know what you are going to find in the way of terrain, boundary marking, evidence of bad guys or whatever. It has also been fun to learn to use a new piece of technology. We will be back up there after the snow melts.

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
by Sandie Seifer

The Park hosted the "Artist in Residence" program as part of the Centennial celebrations. This involved having artists from all over the world stay at the Park for two weeks and then having them create their individual and unique interpretations of what Crater Lake meant to them. The Schneider Museum in Ashland, Oregon, and the Park sponsored a summer showing of the artist's works. The display was in the newly renovated 'Community House' on the Rim.

Greg Reddell working as a Docent at the Community House

The Friends of Crater Lake willingly volunteered to work as "Docents" for the Community House showing. I was fortunate enough to work as Docent for one weekend. I truly enjoyed the art work and talking with the folks that came in to view the artist's work. I was surprised at the different types of media that the Artists used to create their works of art. There were oils, acrylics, water-colors, video presentations, computer enhanced photo, black and white photos, carvings, etc.... These showed traditional landscapes, abstracts, futuristic interpretations, and enjoyable interpretations of Crater Lake. Each Artist succeeds in providing their own unique style and interaction with Crater Lake during their stay there. The atmosphere of having the showing in the newly renovated Community House was also awesome. I was amazed at just how much enjoyment the Park visitors derived from viewing the artist's work and from seeing the newly renovated building. I believe this was a very successful part of the Centennial celebrations. I find myself hoping that the Park will continue to put on various displays, showings, etc.... in the Community Building.

ADOPTING A TRAIL
by Judy Buckingham

I have a group of friends who love the out of doors and try to do something every Monday, whether it be hiking, biking, skiing, snowshoeing, kayaking, or whatever. We decided it would be fun to adopt a trail in the park, since we hike there a lot in the summer anyway. Our choice was the Dutton Creek Trail. Several of our group attended the summer training session where they learned how to use radios, the safe use of tools, guidance on speaking with visitors, and so on. Then in the fall, we (7 of us) decided to hike our trail. Our first stop was the Dispatch office where we were given a radio. Cherie Killam-Bomhard gave us some tools and garbage bags and said if we felt up to it, she would appreciate us picking up any litter we might see and also removing dirt from the water bars along the trail.

So off we went with lunches, water, garbage bags and a couple of tools. The sky was blue, the sun was warm, in short an enjoyable day. We found a small amount of litter near the trail head. One bridge was in need of some work, so we made a mental note of that. About halfway, we found a stash of beer bottles, so we added those to our bags of litter. Along the way, we came across 4 backpackers from the Sierra Club who had started at the other end. We chatted with them awhile and then continued on. Every time we came to a water bar in the trail we would clear the dirt. It was not physically taxing and well within the capabilities of our "crew". Toward the end, we found another small amount of litter and all kinds of trees fallen across the trail. We were sure the park must know about that, but just in case, we made mental note to mention it when we returned. It was a great hike. We returned the radio, which we had not needed (but you never know), the tools, and the litter, then had a nice chat with Cherie to let her know what we did and saw. She said they were aware of the trees. That route was scheduled to be rerouted at some future time, so the trail crew had not spent any time clearing the fallen trees.

If any other groups or individuals want to adopt a trail, I highly recommend it. We had a great day and hope we were of some use to the park.

FORT KLAMATH MUSEUM IS BEING REBUILT
by Greg Reddell

Our Friend, the Klamath County Museum, is rebuilding the Fort Klamath Museum which was destroyed by fire in October 16, 2001. Friends going to Crater Lake from the Klamath Falls side, pass the Fort Klamath Museum outside of the town of Fort Klamath not far from the South East entrance to Crater Lake National Park. This former army post in south central Oregon was established on September 5, 1863 by Major Charles C. Drew. Located approximately 36 miles north of the town of Linkville (present day Klamath Falls) in the Wood River Valley the post was intended to control the local native Indians at nearby Klamath Agency and provide protection to emigrant wagon trains heading into southern Oregon and northern California.

Soldiers at Old Fort Klamath

The soldiers were also charged with building new roads and improving old trails connecting major supply points in eastern and western Oregon. Thus, in 1866 soldiers from the garrison built the first road approaching Crater Lake from the south. Known afterward as the Fort Klamath-Jacksonville Military Road it followed the general location of the present park south entrance road to Annie Spring.

The post consisted (in 1864) of an adjutant's office, guard house, arsenal, hospital, bakery, two storehouses, four sets of officer's quarters, enlisted barracks, and stables. The Fort Klamath Museum was a replica of the guardhouse. Duties at Fort Klamath consisted of road building, policing the nearby countryside, assisting the Indian agent, mounting an expedition to the Steens Mountain country to establish Camp Alvord, and laboring around the post. In 1865 Captain Sprague and some solders were the first whites to climb down inside the rim of Crater Lake. Captain Sprague named it "Lake Majesty".

For Friends who have not been to the Fort Klamath Museum, Fort Klamath held a central point in the 1872/73 Modoc War as the troops stationed at the post were deeply involved in the conflict and the post served as a supply base. The campaign attracted national attention. Also the trial, execution, and burial of Captain Jack and other accused Modocs were held at Ft. Klamath also attracted national attention.

Life at Fort Klamath calmed down considerably after the Modoc War. In 1877 troops participated in the Nez Perce War. Work began on a telegraph line from Ft. Bidwell in northern California and to Jacksonville, OR, although it was not completed until 1882. By the early 1880's attention was focused on closing and consolidating military posts throughout the country. The military and hay reserves had, in 1881, been reduced by some 1,000 acres and on May 4th, 1886 President Grover Cleveland signed an executive order turning over the Fort Klamath Military Reservation to the Secretary of the Interior for disposal.

By 1886, Ft. Klamath remained as the only active federal army post in the interior of Oregon. The troops spent their time maintaining the garrison, doing manual labor, and assisting army engineers in a survey of Crater Lake. On August 9, 1889, Fort Klamath was closed. A detachment remained as caretaker.

The final chapter of Ft. Klamath was to be somewhat dramatic. The winter of 1889-90 was the hardest experienced by both the troops and the settlers. By February, 1890 over 20 feet of snow had fallen and the small detachment was kept busy trying to save the buildings from collapsing under the crushing weight of the heavy winter snow. A number of buildings were destroyed. On June 23, 1890, Fort Klamath was officially abandoned.

Guard house at old Fort Klamath

Until recently, it was thought that no original buildings from the fort still existed. But two former fort stables were found across Highway 62 from the museum site. The fort's bakery was discovered two miles from its original location: it had been removed from the fort grounds some time after the post's abandonment in 1890. The old fort's barber shop was found serving as a storage building in good shape in the town of Fort Klamath.

Sadly, not only did the museum fire destroy the replica of the guardhouse, but also the chair in which Captain Jack sat during the trial, the wagon outside, and the bureau, officer's desk and hospital table built at old Fort Klamath. The new museum is being built on the site of the old museum and is based on old photographs of Fort Klamath. A model builder has been found to replace the diorama that was lost in the fire. Watch for more articles about the rebuilding of the Fort Klamath Museum.

Raising the first wall of the Fort Klamath Museum October 2002

GLIDE WILDFLOWER SHOW 2003

The 37th annual Glide Wildflower Show opens the last weekend in April at the Glide Community Building in Glide, OR, 17 miles east of Roseburg. Public hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday April 26 and 27. The snow is sponsored by community volunteers and the Glide Community Club.

Special presentations at the show will include a hands-on drawing workshop, a talk on noxious riparian weeds, a discussion of the 2002 forest fires and impacts on native plants, and more to be announced.

Suggested donation is $2.00 per person. For information contact Glide Wildflower Show, Box 332, Glide, OR 97443 or Gyan Surya (541)677-3797.

     George Buckingham, Chiloquin, OR (President)
     Greg Hartell- Klamath Falls, OR
     Tom Dew - Medford, OR
     Mike Piehl - Roseburg, OR
     Donald Rome - Minneapolis, MN
     Sandie Seifer - Klamath Falls, OR
     Larry Smith - Jacksonville, OR
     Molly Widmer - Springfield, OR
     Janet Wilson - Coos Bay, OR

2003 EVENTS

World Wide Web
Visit the Friends Web pages at:

http://www.drizzle.com/~rdpayne/foclnp.html

http://www.nps.gov/crla/foclnp.htm

Our Address
Friends of Crater Lake National Park
P.O. Box 88
Crater Lake, OR 97604

Crater Lake Web Cam

http://www.craterlakelodges.com/cratercam.htm

In This Issue