LAKE CRESCENT — The owners of a Port Angeles construction company had remodeled parts of historic Lake Crescent Lodge.
But they knew they were in for a real challenge when the built the lodge’s new public dock.
“It was a pretty phenomenal project,” said Gena Almaden, administrator of Renovate Inc., which she co-owns with her husband, Mark.
Olympic National Park’s concessionaire Forever Resorts LLC contracted Renovate Inc. to build the $93,000, 140-foot-long by 12-foot-wide dock, which replaces a pier that rotted and had to be removed.
The nine-day project was completed May 18.
Although the dock is large enough to handle a tour boat, Olympic National Park spokeswoman Barb Maynes said: “There are no plans for a tour boat coming back to Lake Crescent.”
The Everett-based Mosquito Fleet paddle-wheeler Storm King, which now is used for dinner cruises in San Francisco Bay, took visitors on tours of Lake Crescent between 1994 and 1997.
The Crescent tour service was not profitable and Mosquito Fleet had to shut it down.
Strict standards
Renovate Inc. built the dock with several special features, except for the pilings, which were placed by Reiter Construction of Seattle. Bill Ahler, Forever Resorts manager, supervised the project.
Because the project fronted one of the national park’s most pristine bodies of water, the Renovate Inc. crew was required to adhere to strict environmental standards in both building the dock and designing it to protect the lake’s habitat.
For example, 28 feet of steel mesh was installed as decking so light could filter though to an aquatic plant called lobelia dortmanna, which is listed as a threatened species.
The special project called for special orders, said Almaden, including $7,000 in long bolts to secure 600- to 800-pound cross beams.
“The lumber was special-ordered out of Oregon,” said Almaden, adding that it had to be specially treated to adhere to the park’s environmental standards.
