New Crater Lake tour boats flown in Monday will be ready for tours next week

A helicopter lowers a new tour boat into Crater Lake Monday. Rogue Valley Times photo by Jamie Lusch
June 27, 2023

Three new boats, now bearing Native American names, can carry more passengers than previous vessels

By Lee Juillerat for the Rogue Valley Times

CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK — Three larger, quieter, more eco-friendly boats that will be used for tours on Crater Lake were flown to the lake by helicopter Monday.

“We wanted to get these into the lake as soon as possible,” said Tony Beckerley, district manager for Aramark, the parent company of Crater Lake Hospitality, Crater Lake National Park’s concessionaire.

Following a shakedown period and pending approval from the U.S. Coast Guard, lake tours could begin by the end of next week, Beckerley said.

The three new tour boats have names associated with regional Indian tribes.

One boat is named “Modokni,” pronounced mo-dock-nee, which means “Belonging to Modoc” in the Modoc language. Another boat, “Nimi,” pronounced New-muh, means “people,” in the Northern Paiute language. The third boat, “Ouk-Seek-Nee,” means “people of the lake” in Klamath language.

A helicopter lowers a new tour boat into Crater Lake Monday. Rogue Valley Times photo by Jamie Lusch

The 41-foot-long, 13-foot-wide boats, made by Grants Pass-based KatanaCraft, were flown to the eastern shore of Wizard Island by a Chinook helicopter. The boats had been taken to Rim Drive’s North Junction parking area, where they were attached to the helicopter and flown to the bay near the Wizard Island boat docks. Earlier Monday morning, crews from Crater Lake Hospitality and KatanaCraft hiked to the Cleetwood Cove boat dock, where they boarded the three tour boats being replaced, and motored to the island to assist in moving the boats to their new home.

The first flight at 10:30 a.m. didn’t carry a boat but instead held a large container with items for the boats, including tools and life vests. The copter then returned to the North Junction, where the first new boat was attached to the Chinook and flown to the island. The process was then repeated two times and completed by noon. After a break, the copter began flying the old boats, which have been used since 2003, back to the North Junction parking area for transport out of the park.

Because of publicity about the new boats, the lake-viewing areas at Rim Village and Discovery Point were packed with more than 1,000 spectators. A sampling of license plates indicated the cars, pickups, RVs and motor homes were from dozens of states. One couple from Tennessee said they stayed an extra night after learning about the event.

Providing new boats has been a goal of park officials for several years to allow more visitors to experience the lake. The standard two-hour lake circuit tours include an interpretative park ranger to provide information on aspects of the lake’s geology, how the lake was created, its human history and more. Beckerley said there are also plans to resume shuttle trips to and from Wizard Island, where people can hike to the island’s caldera, fish, swim or relax for a multi-hour period before returning to Cleetwood Cove.

A helicopter lowers a new tour boat into Crater Lake Monday. Rogue Valley Times photo by Jamie Lusch

Beckerley and Travis Hamlyn, KatanaCraft CEO, said the new boats should provide for even better visitor experiences. Each boat can carry 55 passengers and two crew members, a significant increase over the 34 passengers on the former boats. Because each boat has two independent engines, one boat will not have to be kept at the Cleetwood Cove boat docks, which was required in case a boat with passengers experienced engine problems.

“This boat was specifically made for Crater Lake,” Hamlyn said, noting planning and design work began last summer, with approval from the National Park Service being received last October. The boats were constructed at KatanaCraft in Grants Pass.

The new boats come at a cost. Although no specific figures were provided, Hamlyn and Beckerley said the cost for each boat was “in the realm” of six figures. Both said a major goal was to provide larger, quieter, more eco-friendly boats. Likewise, both noted planning included consultation and approval from park officials, including long-time Superintendent Craig Ackerman.

Email freelance writer Lee Juillerat at [email protected]. This story first appeared in the Rogue Valley Times.

Picture of Bert Etling

Bert Etling

Bert Etling is the executive editor of Ashland.news. Email him at [email protected].

Related Posts...

Obituary: David Brian Shaw

Obituary: David Shaw, 78, former executive director of the Peter Britt Festivals in Jacksonville, founder of Artbeat Inc., and facilitator of nonprofit Mt. Ashland Ski Area founding, died Feb. 1, 2025.

Read More »

Stiff winds likely followed by rain showers over coming days

Ashland’s hiatus of dry days ends with five straight days with rain showers in the forecast, according to a National Weather Service forecast as of Wednesday evening. Showers are expected during the day Thursday and Friday, in the evening Saturday, night and day Sunday and during Monday’s Presidents Day holiday day.

Read More »

Our Sponsors

Klamath Bird Observatory Experience the wonders of Souteast Brazil Ashland Oregon
Conscious Design Build Ashland Oregon
Pronto Printing Ashland Medford Southern Oregon

Latest posts

Obituary: David Brian Shaw

Obituary: David Shaw, 78, former executive director of the Peter Britt Festivals in Jacksonville, founder of Artbeat Inc., and facilitator of nonprofit Mt. Ashland Ski Area founding, died Feb. 1, 2025.

Read More >

Stiff winds likely followed by rain showers over coming days

Ashland’s hiatus of dry days ends with five straight days with rain showers in the forecast, according to a National Weather Service forecast as of Wednesday evening. Showers are expected during the day Thursday and Friday, in the evening Saturday, night and day Sunday and during Monday’s Presidents Day holiday day.

Read More >

Are you gun and gun law savvy? Find out March 4

“Be Gun Smart… Whether or Not You Own a Firearm” is a free public program set for 4 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 4, in the Gresham Room at the Ashland Public Library, 410 Siskiyou Blvd. The speakers will be Ashland Police Chief Tighe O’Meara and Jackson County Sheriff Nate Sickler. 

Read More >

Our Sponsors

Ashland Parks and Recreation Ashland Oregon
City of Ashland Public Notice Ashland Oregon
Ashland.news House Ad

Explore More...

The city of Ashland’s police volunteer program, which had around 30 volunteers before the COVID pandemic, now has only around 10. Volunteers help put extra eyes on patrol areas such as Lithia Park and the bike path and help manage special events such as parades.
Oregon could have far fewer firefighters ready to battle blazes on federal lands next fire season — and may do less advance work aimed at mitigating the risk of large fires — due to the Trump administration’s hiring freeze and funding cuts, according to U.S. lawmakers.
“Be Gun Smart… Whether or Not You Own a Firearm” is a free public program set for 4 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 4, in the Gresham Room at the Ashland Public Library, 410 Siskiyou Blvd. The speakers will be Ashland Police Chief Tighe O’Meara and Jackson County Sheriff Nate Sickler. 
The Ashland Community Emergency Response Team will offer training on how to offer basic medical aid, including administering naloxone in case of opioid overdoses, on Wednesday evening, Feb. 12. The training is free and open to the public starting at 6 p.m. at Ashland Fire Station No. 1 at 455 Siskiyou Blvd.
City Corner: The 2024 city of Ashland list of accomplishments highlights numerous advancements and initiatives across various departments. Following is a summary of the key achievements, including completion of the wastewater treatment plant outfall relocation and UV system upgrades.
ashland.news logo

Subscribe to the newsletter and get local news sent directly to your inbox.

(It’s free)

Don't Miss Our Top Stories

Get our newsletter delivered to your inbox three times a week.
It’s FREE and you can cancel anytime.