J.L. Crawford

Flag pole near Visitor Center at Cedar Breaks.

I was the seasonal naturalist at Cedar Breaks in the summers of 1946 and 1947. Gordon Heaton was the seasonal ranger in 1946. We were the only two Park employees there at the time. A new rope was needed for the flag pole and that presented a problem. Gordon’s kid brother, whose name I don’t remember, happened to be there for a visit and Gordon bribed him into climbing the pole, nailing cleats on as he went up. As I remember, he didn’t make it all the way to the top. I think we ended up letting the pole down. I just don’t remember after all those years.

--J.L. Crawford

J.L. Crawford

Visitor Center with drive past to the overlook.

Notice that the road runs past the museum. One of my duties was to meet the bus (busses), which stopped at the rim of the canyon, and deliver my lecture. After that the passengers were delivered to the lodge where the chicken dinner was served. Park employees could eat at those Union Pacific lodges for fifty cents a meal so that’s where I lived high on the hog those two summers.

--J.L. Crawford

J.L. Crawford

Cedar Breaks Lodge during the winter.

The winter picture of the lodge was taken in March of 1949. I don’t know who is in the picture, but I skied over the lodge. I think that was the last year we had to ski across the mountain to take snow measurements. Those in the party that year, besides myself, were my brother-in-law Fenn Nelson, Dr. Farnsworth, Theron Ashcroft, and John Lewis. I don’t recall whether Chief Ranger Fred Fagergren went with us. There were three stations, one at Harris Flat, one at Duck Creek, and one at Cedar Breaks. The next year a snow cat was used for only a few years before they began keeping Scenic Route 14 open, but I don’t recall what year that happened.

--J.L. Crawford