Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-08
TAHOE NATIONAL PARK.
Scenic Wonders of the Sierrns Re-
served by the Government.

OF Lake Tahoe, relates the San Francisco
Chronicle, lies that territory comprising 1877,
$40 acres CT natural forests, alpine valley
and meadow, wild, snow hecked peaks and
beautiful mountain lakes. now known as
California's new national park. This recent
addition to the large areas of forest land
held in reserve for the peoples pleasure
grounds by wise government, is of ex-
ccedng interest to all lovers of grand seen
cry.
1t embraces the we'll known lake. with its
lofty surrounding mountains and the rocky
gorges and canyons carved out of the Sierra
submits by glacial action, with a network
OF magnificent forests. sparkling lakes and
deso1ate stretches of bare granite westward
to the Pyramid Peak range and the head
waters of the American river
The state line crosses the lake from north
to south, California's green, densey wooded
shores on the west contracting with Nevada
hot, barren and desoate on the eastern
rim. The pines that once forested these
bare fanks of Nevada's mountains were
cut long since to timber the Comstock mines;
Mount Davidson and the Washoe mining dis
trict being about ten miles north of Lake
Tahoe's northern extremity.
over twenty five miles long and twelve
miles wide is the gem of the Sierras, and
the steamer passes in its six hours run
such well known summer resorts as McKin-
neys, Emerald Bay-whose bright, green
waters extend some three miles into greener
shores-Tallac, Glenbrook and many sum-
mer cottages.
To see the wildness Of this reservation
one must have the familiar lake and its idle
summer visitors and bridal couples and go
into the very heart of the S=erras west and
south of Mount Tallac. Go. for instance,
to one CT the rugged mountain gorges often
called another Yosemite, seven miles south
of Tallac and known as Glen Alpine Springs.
Hemmed in by Glen Alpine castle, a
shoulder of Mount Tallac, and by the An
CORA peak, both over 5000 feet high, this
wild, rocky canyon opens eastward at the
head of beautiful Fallen Leaf lake. The
glacier that flowed out of this deep valley
in the ice age left it's long and we'll marked
terminal moraine on the south shore of
Fallen Leaf lake, finding there its final de-
preston and death as we'll. -.-'a..s ;l D..
At the mineral spring here is an ice-cold
fountain of sparkling sea water, known, the
Indians say, fifty years ago The elevation
of the glen is $3.50 feet and from this point,
by a succession of rocky terraces and im-
monse granite powders, the mountaineer
may reach any of the high, snow powdered
domes or peaks forming an amphtheater
around the canyon. The weak wayfarer
may ride a sure-footed mountain horse al
nest to the summit of Mount Tallac. Two
hundred yards more of great powders and
slides Of loose talus rocks and one stands
9,115 feet above the sea. When we made
the ascent a strong wind was blowing and
all the mighty winged demons of the upper
air seemed rushing at US, so that we clung
vip 70 napI, rNrnia nf rnnlY 1pct
their sudden fierce attacks 'aight sweep us
over the precipices and down into the deep
gorges radiating toward Lake Tahoe
Straight from the snow on Pyramid Peak
range came the blasts, and crouching under
the lee of the bowlder we wrote our names
with numb fingers for the new Sierra club
register, preserved in a copper cylinder and
deep crevice of rock.
Heather lake is a most picturesque sheet
OF water, with several high, fir-cad islands
and the steep wall OF Crystal peak rising
2 900 feet above it, Over wild confusion
of rugged slopes deep snowdrifts and al
most vertical granted piled ridges bordering
the lake we Chamber and Desolation valley
in all It's savage barrenness appears before
us. Its rocky floor is dotted with what are
we'll named Medley lakes, whose waters
some Sacramento electric light and power
8 600 feet above sea level, for purposes OF
their own. Frowning rock ribbed ranges,
torn with jagged issures and deep canyons,
overlook this deSolute spot above the timber
line and almost bare of vegetation and con-
stant strong winds and storms sweep over
the wilderness, much OF which Is still unex-
plored.
Many of these lakes are well stocked with |
trout, from one pound to five In weight, and
they rise well to fly, or by trolling, giving |
one an anxious, delightful ten minutes till
the landing net safely scoops in the spotted
beauty. Rainbow, brook and Loeb Severn |
trout are caught and few black bass in
Gilmore lake, on the trail to Mount Tallac
where the largest trout abound. Thirty to
fifty thousand OF the inch h-long Small fry" !
trout are placed in each of these lakes |
yearly. They journey in great cans, kept ;
e-cold and constantly areated when In /
transit by dipping the water up and down
and sure-footed horse carries them up
Lhese steep trails. In the fall TIN crust
Of ice forms on the lakes, and on this the
first heavy fall Of snow lies like a thick
blanket, preserving the waters from freez-
ng to the bottom, the trout thus being
spared an Icy grave.
Very plentiful and beautiful are flowers in
Ihese mountain fastnesges: the purple or
scotch heathef clotnlng with lis nalt-recum- 4
bent stems many steep ridge or lake 1
shore. the rarer pink Alpine, like small |
peach blossoms, and-fragrant and bonniest |
II all-white heather with snowy, fairy bells ,
'ibbed with scarlet in the highest levels. !
rhe summer glory of the mountain lilies Is
gone, few tall and yellow spikes like small
iger lilies only remaining, and that free
anco of coast or mountain. the columbine,
still hangs out it's scarlet and gold banners.
Giant blue larkspur, an exquisite pink MIN
Illus, and bright blue geptian3 cluster along
he trails, and delicate pink cranes bin
vas found defyng the elements in Desola-
ion valley, The mountain ash OF song and
story is in full beauty in September, It's
'range berries turning most brilliant red al
lack Frcst's touch; and the bracken begins
o show by its golden leaves that autumn
S here with his paint brush, coloring all but
he evergreens. magnificent growth Of
loble pine, tamaracks with snakv notified
ark, mighty cedars and frs forest great
PAGES of this reserve, Mcst picturesque
II trees are the storm beaten. gnarled old
unipers, the highest trees on the timber
inc, each trunk OF enormous thickness and
broader than high, with curlously twisted
branches as thick as the main stem clus-