Rare helicopter boat delivery at Crater Lake [video]
/A fleet of new tour boats sit off shore of Wizard Island after being airlifted from the caldera rim to the water below. (Image: Crater Lake Hospitality / Aramark Destinations)
Crater Lake Hospitality launches new boats at America’s deepest lake.
CRATER LAKE, Ore. - Crater Lake Hospitality, a subsidiary of Aramark Destinations, plans to resume its popular boat tours this summer with three new 41-foot aluminum alloy boats. Due to the steep terrain to access the lake, the boats were delivered by helicopter on Monday, June 26. The new boats were created in partnership with Oregon based marine designer, Katanacraft, and each boat was created specifically with safety, the local environment, and the visitor experience in mind.
The new boats were built with an open design offering 360-degree views of the lake. These boats use less fuel, provide additional seating, and produce less motor sound compared to the prior boat models. The tour boats are also designed for optimal efficiency to reduce environmental impacts including shore preservation for the lake, which reflects Crater Lake Hospitality’s goal to provide boat tours that are safe, eco-friendly and boast excellent views of the lake. In addition, Crater Lake Hospitality partnered with the local Klamath Tribes to name each boat using the native language.
“We are thrilled to have these new beautiful, eco-friendly and functional boats for scenic boat tours at Crater Lake National Park,” said Bruce W. Fears, President & CEO of Aramark Destinations. “Crater Lake is a gem in Oregon, and we are pleased to be able to enhance the visitor experience with these new boats that were created in partnership with the National Park Service and Katanacraft.”
The three boats have been named after local tribes ?ewksiknii (Klamath Tribe), boamodokni (Modoc Tribe), and namnimi (Paiute Tribe)
A chinook helicopter airlifts a new tour boat onto the water of Crater Lake near Wizard Island. (Image: Crater Lake Hospitality / Aramark Destinations)
Each new boat will allow park visitors to connect with the solitude and beauty of the lake while learning interesting Crater Lake National Park history and geology from a park ranger. Crater Lake Hospitality will offer numerous tours and a boat shuttle service to Wizard Island that are scheduled to resume this summer with the new boats. Boat tours have been a popular activity at Crater Lake National Park for more than 100 years.
