January 12, 2024 4:40 p.m. 

Crater Lake National Park has been experiencing extreme weather conditions over the past week that have resulted in failures of the park communication system.

A release from the National Parks Service said this has significantly impacted the ability to report emergency incidents, so delays in response should be expected. Due to these conditions, all facilities are closed and backcountry travel is strongly discouraged. Highway 62 through the park remains open but because of drifting snow and poor visibility, visitors are asked to refrain from traveling in the park.

The North Entrance Road and Rim Drive are closed for the season. The road from park headquarters to Rim Village is currently closed due to the weather conditions. The release said it is sometimes necessary throughout the course of the winter to close that section of road so plow operators can focus on roads critical for safety access in the park. When this section of road is closed, there is no way to access a lake view by vehicle.

Updates will be provided as conditions change. Check for alerts on the park website at: www.nps.gov/crla.

The status of roads is available at: www.tripcheck.com.