The weekly ledger., 1857-06-20
Report of the Amador Wagon Road Sur
vey Committee.

vey Committee.
To THos B. WADE, Eso:-The Committee
appointed by the Road Convention, held at
jackson on the 18th of May last, for the
purpose of examining wagon road route
over the Sierra Nevada mountains, on the d'-
vide between the Mokelumne and the Cos
umnes and American rivers, Report:
That three of the Committee, Mr.. Wood
ruff. Mr.. Clements and the undersigned left
Volcano May 25th, and proceeded on the
main ridge to the summit; but owing to prl-
vate business, Mr.. Woodruff was compelled
to return before we reached the summit, and
at Hope Valley Mr.. Clements left for Carson
Valley. The undersigned, then in company
with Mr. Hosler ond Mr.. Tousley, proceeded
to examine the ridge from the point where
the Old Carson Road crosses the western sum-
nit to the Big Tree road, distance of about
twelve miles; and found it impracticable to
construct wagon road along the same, to
intersect the said Big Tree road But by
continuing the Old Carson Route to within
one half mile of the western summit then
turning slightly to the right, and running
along the ridge about three-fourths OF mile
to point where the main ridge turns abb
ruptly to the north, a road can be made by
cutting through and along the side OF pre-
cpitous rock for distance of fifty rods,
coming out on q spur or bench OF the ridge
running north, known as the Eastern summit
on the Old Carson Route. This cut will cost
about $4,000 Then continuing in a circuit
GUS route around this bench to ridge between
two small tributaries of Carson river, descend
ing this ridge at an easy grade into Hope
Valley, and intersectng the Old Carson Road
about one mile east Of Red Lake, thus avoid
ing the Eastern summit on the Old Carson
Route, above Red Lake, and shortening the
distance about six miles. This portion of the
road will be between four and five miles in
length, and will cost about $1,000. At this
point we are about six miles above the head
of Carson canon, whence we will follow by
very easy grade the west branch of upper
Carson river to the head OF the canon, aud
there unite with the Big Tree Road and
Sherman Days surveyed route.
In order to present a more perfect idea OF
where the various routes cross the main sum
init, or divide, it will be necessary to give
description of this section of the mountains.
Commencing, then, at the point where the
Big Tree road cosses the divide, the bearing
of the main ridge is northwest to the point
where the Old Carson road crosses the West
ern summit, distance of twelve miles, and
about two miles north and running parallel
with the MokeIumne river for this distance,
twelve miles, and is here the dividing ridge
between the waters of the Mokelumne and
| Carson rivers At or near the Western sum
nit the ridge turns abrupt TO the northeast,
forming almost right angle; and the Mo
kelumne river at the same point turns alb
ruptly to the south, and here, for distance
of about three miles, it becomes the dividing
ridge between the South Fork of the Amer
lean river and Carson river. At this point
the ridge divides, and forms what Sherman
Day calls the Eastern and Western SUBMITS
on his route, the eastern ridge continuing
northeast and being the divide between Hope
and Lake Valleys, or upper Truckee, and
Carson and Truckec rivers, and terminating
in low bills on the plains west of the sink of
the Humboldt The western ridge runs
nearly north. and is the main ridge of the
Sierra Neyadas, and is the actual divide be-
tween tie waters of the Great Basin aud
those of the Sacramento valley.
Going back to the Old Carson Route on the
western summit spur Of the ridge running
Northwest continues in that direction and
terminates between Silver Lake creek and the
South Fork Of the American river, nearly or
about North of Tragedy Springs, while the
Northern ridge seems to cross this spur, and
continuing down aud between the Mokelumne
aud American rivers forms the Great Divide
on which the Old Carson Road runs to Pla-
cerville, Diamond Springs Volcano &c At
the point where these ridges cross, or seem to
cross it is proposed to cut through the pre-
cipitous rock before mentioned, thereby saw
ing six miles in distance, avoiding the East
ern Summit, and descending to Hope Valley
at grade of five or six degrees and thereby
avoiding the descent to and crossing of the
American river at the head of Clear Lake.
The altitude of this pass, where the road
crosses, is about 5000 feet, which is about
the altitude of the Big Tree Pass, and is
about l,s0O higher than Luther's pass, at
the foot Of Hope Valley, where Days survey
crosses the Eastern Summit
Notwithstanding this difference in the
heights of the SUBMITS, there can be good
Wagon Road made over the route we propose
for much less money than on Days route,
without adopting higher grade than 50 be-
cause there is already a very good road with
the exception of the cut ON the summit, where
the great expense will be.
When completed, this route will compare
favoraby with either the Big Tree or Days
route. There is less natural difficulty in
crossing the divide on the Big Tree route for
the ascent on either side to the divide is very
easy; but it would be equally favorable ont his
| routa Were the road constructed ne oho,o