The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-28
Is MT. TAMALPAIS
A VOLCANO?
Explanation of Smoke and Ashes
On the Highest Peak.
Pedestrian Tells About Trip for the Twenty
fifth Time in as Many Years to the
Top Of the Mountain.


EAS MOUNT TAMALPAIS volcano?
IL That is certainly somewhat startling
III question, is it not? But if the Christ
mas fog of last Wednesday had permitted
careful observer to watch the rocky peak Of
the mountain on that afternoon. at about
o'clock, he might have thought himself
fully justified in asking it. AT that hour he
could have witnessed sudden and repeated
puffs of smoke and fame shooting forth and
upward from the very highest peak. These
continued for fully five minutes Noper-
ceptible shock accompanied the phenome-
non. Only a light shower of silver-gray
ashes drifted down the wind and sprinkled
the rocks for several yards to leeward.
The explanation is not far to seek: The
transient eruption simply resulted from the
cremation of one copy Of each of the leading
dailies of San Francisco with which the
writer celebrated his twenty-fifth walk up
Tamalpais On the way over, riding in the
wheel house of the San Rafael with the cap
tain, the genial commodore of the veteran
steamboat captains Of San Francisco Bay,
he agreed with the captain that he would
create a temporary volcano on the highest
point of the mountain at the hour named.
He kept his contract, but the dense fog
which shrouded the bay around Sansalitu
completely shut off all sight Of the summit
and prevented the responses agreed upon.
On the morning named the writer under
took to make record from Ross Station on
the North Pacific Coast Railroad over the
Eluridge grade to the highest southeast
peak Of Tan,alpais. The Official survey of
the road builder gives the measured distance
as 9.3 miles. Carrying an oyercoat, AN army
hayersack OF lunch and an alpenstock, he
followed every winding of the grade, went
hra r, a n n a mi lp hn
took the trail back easterly along the high
crest northwest Of the peak, making an ag-
gregate of fully 10A miles, and did it in just
hours and % minutes of square heel-and-
toe uphill walking. When any one lowers
that record, under similar circumstances.
he stands ready to make shorter.
For the possible benefit Of those who may
wish to try one OF the finest possible trips
in our State, he submits the following
hints:
II early rising in midwinter is not too
much for yonr enthusiasts, take the San
Rafael for Sausalito at :35. If that is too
early for home breakfast, try some cafe
close.io the ferry. Or, il saving time is
point, get
A GOOD MEAL ON THE BOAT.
You land at Ross Station in just about an
hour. Take the highway westerly running
off to the left from just beyond the station,
follow its windiDgs over two miles along a
very lovely little branch valley till, near the
foot of a gentle decllvity, you see road
coming down from The left into yours
Don't take il. Look still farther to the left,
and lust back of its junction with the one
you have come you will see mountain
road over partly broken-dowp bridge.
That is the one you want. 1t Is the foot or
the beginning If the fine carriage grade that
used 10 be, planned and built by the energy
of the laniented Eldridgc, whose name It
bears. As whole it is still in quite good
order, though several caves and slides have
so DISTRACTED some Of the lower portions
that 1t is no longer carriageable. But il is
still muieable, jackassable, horseabla and
easily pebble for the average pedestrian of
either sex. Once in it you can hardly get
of, unless through sudden access Of dense
stupidity.
THE ELDEIGE GRADE
Was so admirably planned that IL is no.
wIere as steep as several parts of the conn-
u -oad over which you have just come, so