January 22, 1942
By Henry G Schmidt, Custodian
Moab, Utah
Travel this month, 63; Travel year to date, 625
Weather
The new year of 1942 brought us zero temperatures and cold winds, lasting for 6 days and an abrupt change of weather then favored us, bringing mild sunny weather with occasional winds for the remainder of the month. The nights have remained cold but warm, clear days have been in order since the cold snap of the first week in January. There is no snow in the Windows Section and very little in other parts of the monument which is quite unusual for this season of the year.
Roads
The road to the Windows section is very rough in spots but free from the usual winter mud and snow.
The company strength of Arches CCC Camp has decreased slightly within the past month and the hoped-for maintenance crew did not materialize. Necessary maintenance of the road has been carried on, however the big job of shaling the very rough sections will have to await the time when men and equipment for the job are available.
The road through Salt Valley is rough but passable.
The road down Salt Valley is passable, but very, very rough.
Visitors
Twenty-one people visited the Windows section of the monument this month. Strangely enough, most of them were local people. Only 2 parties, each with two people, registered from out of state. I am afraid the combination of rubber shortage and our rough road, is going to cut deeply into travel to the Arches this year.
Hours spent in interpretive contact—Custodian Schmidt—4 hours. Park Service visitors include Acting Superintendent “Chuck” Richey, Coolidge, Arizona; Glenn Boyland and Art Gilmore, Mesa Verde National Park.
Project Progress for the Month
Maintenance and minor repairs to the Windows section road.
Patrols made to the Windows, Courthouse Towers and Devil’s Garden sections, and on the west boundary between these sections.
Special patrols on foot to check on the grazing situation. All bands of sheep contacted, and made certain the herders stayed outside the monument.
Visitor contact carried on as necessary.
Since February (sic. Should be January) 19, I have been acting as foreman at CCC Camp NP-7-U, working wherever services are needed.
Project Progress for the Ensuing Month
Patrols to Windows and Devil’s Garden sections.
Visitor contact as necessary.
Continued work as CCC foreman 5 days each week.
General
Acting Superintendent Richey paid us a visit on the 15, 16, and 17th of this month. Much of his time was used checking affairs at the CCC camp with Alden Newell who is now acting Superintendent of the camp. Regular monument affairs were discussed and plans made to carry on as efficiently as possible during the periods of our financial emergency.
Respectfully submitted,
Henry G Schmidt,
Custodian.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE PREVIOUS INSTALLMENTS OF HANK SCHMIDT’S MONTHLY REPORTS…
* NOTE: Thanks to former Arches NP superintendent Paul D. Guraedy, who gave me access in 1988 to the old monthly reports…JS
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