Earlier this month the Traveler reported on a car that went over the edge of the caldera at Crater Lake National Park. The vehicle was destroyed by the 1,100-foot fall, and the park was faced with a challenging clean-up before the snow flies. Here's an update, and there's more to the story: in an amazing coincidence, this accident has something in common with a similar event from the distant past.

The good news from this incident is that all of the occupants of the vehicle were safe—including Haley the dog, the Dingo-Akita mix that some who followed the story dubbed "Lucky." Although the two humans involved in the situation had gotten out of the car at an overlook to enjoy the view, Haley was still aboard when the driver-less car rolled over the edge.

One look at the accompanying photo of what's left of the car confirms that it's fortunate Haley was ejected through the vehicle's sun roof early in the unplanned ride, and the dog managed to scramble 600 feet back to the top with only minor injuries.

Unfortunately for the park staff faced with how to clean up the mess, that big chunk of mangled metal wasn't all that remained after the crash, and parts of the vehicle were scattered along the 1,100-foot path down the caldera wall.

Winter comes early and stays late at Crater Lake, and the quickly approaching fall rain and snow added urgency to the task of removing the debris. The combination of the steep slope, loose rock and long distance between rim and lake made this salvage job anything but routine. Just "leave it be" isn't an option; not only is the junk unsightly, but there was concern runoff from the rain and snow would wash any remaining debris into the water, where it would be difficult or impossible to retrieve.

So, how's it going?

Phase one of the clean-up involved helicopter operations, and that work went smoothly. Marsha McCabe, the park's public information officer, said a helicopter from Swanson Group Aviation in Grants Pass, Oregon, hauled out two rigged loads of debris and mangled car parts. The skilled helicopter pilot was also able to use a grappling hook to extract some of the larger items scattered along the caldera wall such as a seat, bumper, and muffler. It's estimated the operation removed about 80 to 90 percent of the remains of the 2003 Volkswagen Passat.

Phase two of the operation will most likely require technical climbing to retrieve the smaller pieces of debris still scattered all along the path the vehicle followed on its tumble to the lakeshore. Park officials plan to conduct an operational safety review to determine how best to proceed. They point out that "protecting the pristine nature of the lake and ensuring the safety of personnel are the highest priorities."

According to McCabe, the last auto mishap of this magnitude occurred in October 1922 when a brand new Lincoln rolled over the rim near the present day location of the Sinnott Memorial Overlook in Rim Village, and that incident was definitely a close call.

A history of the park compiled by former rangers Larry and Lloyd Smith notes that shortly before the 1922 accident, the people with that car had removed their baby from the vehicle … because it was crying. The owner of the Lincoln was a barber from Klamath Falls, Oregon, whose last name was Swanson.

Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction. In a bizarre coincidence, one of the occupants of 2003 Passat involved in this month's incident was also named... Swanson.

If your name happens to be Swanson and you decide to visit Crater Lake in the future, perhaps you'd do the park and yourself a favor, and be just a bit more cautious than usual whenever you're near the rim.