Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-06-17
A Volcanic Wonder.


one mass of broken trap and volcanic
rocks that look as fresh as if they were
elected only yesterday, but It's rugged
forbidding aspect is concealed ny
luxuriant forests of fir and spruce ana
shrubbery that grows in tropical protu-
sion. The lake itself is situated at an
altitude of about 5000 feet above the
level of the sea, so that it is probably the
highest body of water of its magnitude
found in the United States.
Notwithstanding its many attractions
no tourists visit it, owing partly to its
isolated position, but principally because
it is unknown, for no written description
of it has yet been published in journals
that would make it's beauties known, nor
has it been sketched by any artists capa-
BILE of dealing with it's rugged massive
ness in Il proper manner.
1t has local fame equal to that which
the Yosemite Valley enjoys in California,
yet but few even of those who have
heard it's many attractions mentioned
become personally acquainted with
them, owing, no doubt, to the character
of the country in the vicinity.
left Jacksonville, the chief town in
Southern Oregon, early on a bright morn
ing to visit the lake, accompanied by
three gentlemen who were well &C
quainted with the country, having trav-
ersed its forests and mountains for years
We were mounted on good, stout In
dian ponies and carried our blankets and
provisions on pack-mule, for we did
not expect to find any houses on the road
capable of furnishing us either food or
shelter.
We reached the base of the mountains
at evening, having made about seventy
miles, and encamped near purling
stream, whose banks were fringed with
luxuriant meadows of tall, sweet grass
and shaded by dingle Of ash and oak.
Rolling ourselves in our blankets we
slept soundly until the dawn of the next
day, when we were astir, and half an
hour later were clambering up the
mountain side. This was not as difficult
as ! anticipated, as trail broad enough
for a carriage leads to the lake After
six hours travel we reached the object
of our journey, but as we intended to
spend day in it's exploration we were
in no hurry to glance at it; so we busted
ourselves in preparing a camp of boughs,
making beds Of leaves and small branch
es and providing good feeding ground
for the animals. 1t took US until late in
the evening to accomplish our labors,
and as we intended to commence explor-
ing the next day we retired to bed at an
early hour.
At daylight the following morning we
were on the brink of the lake to note the
effect of the sunrise upon it, but mist
hung over the mountain, so that we
missed what we most earnestly sought.
In order to gaze downward we had TO
lie fiat on the ground, and even then we
could look only a short time without be-
coming dizzy, owing to the enormous
depth of the water We measured the
bluff at the point at which we stood, and
found that it was 2, 100 feet to the edge
of the water, SO that the lake is probably
the most deeply buried of any one on
the continent.
We next sought path that would lead
US to the base, and after much research
found a narrow, rocky and almost per-
pendicular trail formed by ravine at
first, but rendered more distinct by sew
eral large animals which followed it's
sinuous course to reach the water. We
found that descending this was very
arduous labor, but by using the scrubby
frs and deep-rooted shrubbery that grew
IN its dark soil we were enabled to reach
the base in safety, but not without cut
ting ourselves with the sharp and knife
like rocks.
Once below and we were astounded at
the panorama that surrounded us. The
lake is environed by huge, perpendicular
masses Of augitic basalt that hug it so
closely as to leave no shore, and they
are as round as basin in outline.
Their dark sides, towering forms and
broken appearance at the summit, COM
bined with the inky blackness Of the lake
and the somber pines and frs that seek a
foothold where the soil is disintegrated
enough to give them scanty subsist-
ence, unite in forming picture express
i've in the highest degree of wild, rude
grandeur and cold, droning solitude
Look in what direction you will and you
behold only
Black waves, bare crags,
And banks of stone,
except an occasional melancholy conf
fer.
An island looms up in the center OF
the lake to an altitude of about 800 feet
This has base of about 1 200 feet in cir
conference and crater at the summit
having a depth of nearly 100 feet. The
general form Of the islet is cone-like
and its rigid aspect seems to harmonic
we'll with the stern character of it's sur.
roundings.
We measured the island in nearly every
position, and the dimensions given are as
correct as | can remember without my
notes. We sounded the lake III its
vicinity and found it to have a depth O.