The San Francisco call., 1896-05-05
CLIMB TO CRATER LAKE,
The Mazamas and the Crater
Lake Club to Join
Hands.
The People of Ashland Preparins
for Two. Weeks
Holiday.

G. B. Watson of Ashland, president of
the Crater Lake Club, and Rev. E. NJ.
Wilbur of Portland, secretary of the Maza.
mas, are in the City seeing about Southern
Pacific rates for the annual mountain
climbing trip of the Mazamas in which the
Crater Lake Club will join this year.
The Mazamas is the Sierra Club OF
Oregon. The society consists of scientists
ana others OF the Northwest interested in
the mountain regions OF Oregon and
Washington from scientific, esthetic,
athletic and other stand po ints 1t was
organized in 1894 at the summit OF Mount
Hood when the TOD had been reached by
200 of the 300 people who began the ascent
Last year Mount Adams was explored to
the summit and this year a great expedi-
tion to Crater Lake is being organized.
Crater Lake lies at the summit of the Cas-.
cade rang in Southwestern Oregon. about
twenty-five miles north of Mount klamath.
1t fills an ancient crater six Dy seven miles
in size, is 2000 feet deep and its surface
quietly expands at an altitude of 6251 feet.
1t Is the intention to spend week at this
lake and Joseph LIE Conte, John Muir and
other California mountaineers have been
invited to join the interesting expedition.
c. B. Watson. president of the Crater
Lake Club, will this evening deliver lee
ture at Stanford, having for his subject
"Crater Lake" The lecture will be illus
trated, stereoptican plates having been
made in this City for the purpose. Mr.
Watson is an enthusiast on his subject
and declares that neither the Yosemite or
any other park on earth has thing of
greater grandeur than Crater Lake.
Crater Lake Mountain lies some eighty
five miles from Ashland IN the Cascade
Tzl~- IL - l. L
OF the crater, 5000 feet above the level of
the sea. The highest point on the bank is
2200 feet higher The lake is 2200 feet
deep, so that the depth of the crater is
400. The lake has no visible outlet nor in
let. The lowest depth of water near the
shore is 1000 feet. At one point rock may
be dropped 1000 feet in the water, where it
will strike, and bounding, will fall 1900
feet more. There is an island in the lake
on the northwestern side which rises S45
feet above the water. The island is itself
an extinct volc anic cone. At point half
a mile east of the island the water is 22OO
feet deep, making the island rise from the
depths of the crater over 5000 feet
Compared with other craters of extinct
volcanoes its altitude, depth and area, it
is the greatest known, says Mr.. Watson.
If Mount Hood were cut off at the height
OF this crater the cone above that point
could be turned into Crater Lake and be
lOSI- According 10 rules LOT measuring
mountains. taking the incline of the side,
etc., this mountain would, were it not
burnt off, rise 90 900 feet high.
'"There were evidently number Of great
explosions in the crater at the time Of its
activity said Mr.. Watson. 'These re-
leased the water of reservoir, which |
rushed in and quenched the fire. The Tim
of the lake is narrow. The view is incom-
parable; 10000 square miles lie under the |
eye, extending over third of Oregon and |
across the line OF California, with Shasta, |
Pitt, the Three Sisters and many other |
mountains within the great |
circle.n