System at Caves has good ring
From our weekly issue dated June 25, 2008
The Oregon Caves National Monument (File photo)
Telephone service was restored to Oregon Caves on Thursday afternoon, June 19 after a nearly seven-month interruption caused by theft of more than a mile of telephone cable in November 2007.
The main telephone number for the National Park Service at Oregon Caves National Monument -- (541) 592-2100 is now active on a limited basis -- as is the phone number for the Chateau at 592-3400.
“This has been a long time coming,” said monument Superintendent Vicki Snitzler. “It has been difficult for visitors, the National Park Service, the Natural History Association and Oregon Caves Outfitters, which manages the lodging at the Chateau along with food service and the gift shop.”
The primary reason it took so long was due to the lack of access to the sites needed to install a new type of system during the snowy winter months. As this was the second time cable had been stolen during the past three years, replacement of the stolen cable a second time didn’t seem a good option.
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A new microwave system was chosen as the best alternative. Even helicopter access was considered to reach these locations, during the preceding month.
But overcoming the problems would have been difficult, expensive and would have carried more risk for installers and park maintenance staff.
Oregon Caves maintenance staff completed all the site preparation work that could be done ahead of time. Then on Monday, June 16, a seven-person National Park Service telecommunication team got right to work. Oregon Caves maintenance staff, SIS-Q Communications, Frontier Telephone, C-2 Utilities, and the U.S. Forest Service all contributed.
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In many cases they shifted their priorities and worked extra hours to make this happen.
The result is a new system that carries voice and high-speed data by microwave -- and will be less expensive to operate than the old system, saving taxpayer money and at the same time improving service.
For more information, contact Steve Thede (by telephone) at 592-2100, Ext. 225.
