Crater Lake Avalanches Force Closure

GENERAL NEWS 

By Ethan Lindsey

Bend, OR  January 10, 2008 6:02 p.m.

Officials reopened Highway 62  Thursday -- that's the major route into Crater Lake National Park.    An avalanche closed the road to everyone for a day. And visitors weren't allowed in during blizzard conditions earlier in the week. 

Ethan Lindsey reports on what that means for one of the state's biggest tourist attractions.

Crater Lake was never cut off from the outside world, officials say.

But the road was so blocked that employees were asked to stay home for just the one day, a spokesman says. Shipments and supplies were also unable to make it into the park.

But eventually crews removed enough of the Tuesday avalanche snow to reopen one lane of the highway for staff.

Spokesman Michael Justin says the storm blocked most safe routes to the scenic lake rim - and that isn't good news for the park.

Michael Justin: “Folks, of course, are primarily interested in how they can safely travel to the rim. So yeah we do see quite a downturn in visitation based on the weather.”

Justin says the park has gotten way more snow so far this year than normal.

Crater Lake gets about 600 inches of snow a year.

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