The federal shutdown is resulting in a closure of 59 national parks…including Crater Lake National Park.
Brad Cummings is celebrating his retirement with his partner at Crater Lake Lodge…but he’s got to be out by 11:00 A.M. Wednesday…
“Of course, disappointment if we were planning on spending more time up here. But you know, they can’t run their business without the park – so, we’ll go home quietly.”
“They must all be gone by October 3rd at 6:00 P.M.” Adds Crater Lake Director of Interpretation Marsha McCabe. “If the shutdown continues that long.”
McCabe notes the majority of the park’s 78 federal workers are being placed on furlough…
“It’s probably affecting about 68 employees for the National Park Service, an additional number for Xanterra, who’s the park concession here.”
Xanterra employs about 185 people at Crater Lake this time of year.
Visitor services were also shut down at Park Headquarters, which came as a surprise to Tom Meyers of Seattle…
“Very surprised – like, wow – I didn’t know they could just shut down a park. I camped here last night, and did some hikes yesterday. I was going to do some more hikes today.”
A skeleton crew of ten ‘excepted’ workers will remain on hand for security, maintenance, and plowing.
Park Superintendent Craig Ackerman isn’t one of those workers…
“Superintendent is not an excepted employee, so superintendent will be furloughed after four hours of shutdown procedures today.”
Xanterra won’t say how many people are currently staying at the lodge…but the 71 rooms are normally booked year round.
Superintendent Ackerman says Park Service workers were notified last week on the potential of a possible shutdown.
Those workers were given official written notice of their furloughs today.
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