The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1904-12-09

No finer example of Natures large
way Of dealing in beauty and grandeur
in California, or of contrast with her
equally sublime handling of master
pieces in the Hawaiian Islands, can be
found, than Lake Tahoe. In this won
drous sheet of water and its surround
ings, are harmonized restfulness and
power. From any point of view this
! expansive body of water, pure as the
snow of which it is the child, blue as
the ocean whose depths it rivals, seems
a type of serenity; while its surround
/ ing mountains, towering to heights
where snow and eagles dwell, seem the
! type Of static power. In Tahoe and its
surroundings is a beauty that never
pals, a sublimity that neither oppress-
es nor fails.
Lake Tahoe's grandeur is of the kind
that does not suffer from an analysis
! Of its material elements. On the con-
trary analysis helps to comprehend its
subtle charm. There is a proportion
between it's mensuration and it's mag
nifcence. 1t seems quite i'm harmony
with its impressiveness to learn that
it is the largest body of water in the
world at it's altitude, which is $500 feet
above sea level. 1t is % miles long and
averages about 10 miles wide. The
greatest depth yet sounded is about
1000 feet and it's average depth is be-
lieved to be about 1900. This is more
than twice the average depth of the
greatest of the Great Lakes. The wa
ter of the lake is of a wonderful blue
due to it's great depth and the clear
ness of it's waters through which depths
of 400 and 500 feet may be seen.
Storms are rare during the summer and
the waters of the lake mirror in an
almost awning clearness, the forests that
border it on a large part of it's circum-
ference, and the mountains which en-
circle it. Some of these rise to eleva-
lions of 1000 and 10000 feet and are
both snow-clad and verdure- Gro wned
the summer through. For it must be
remembered that Lake Tahoe is in the
very heart of the Sierras, those grand
old mountains that buttress a continent
and hold within themselves both an in
vitation to rest and allurement to adj
venture.
1t is hard to describe or even cata-
logue the charms of Tahoe, they are so
many and so varied. For those who
seek chiefly beauty and grandeur Of
scenery Tahoe is unique in itself and in
hits setting. and it's surroundings offer
inexhaustible store of the beautiful and
the picturesque. From the lofty sum-
mits of some of the surrounding noun
tains, unsurpassed views of summer
| snowfields, mountain lakes, and the
grand perspective of the Sierras them
selves stretching through the length Of
Ia hp m =
another kind of charm, not legendary
but romantic. For everywhere over it's
slopes and peaks and through its for
ests and by it's streams the Argonaut
bazed the trails. The 49er with pick
and shovel and pan secured these
mountains in quest Of gold, half cen
fury ago. He has left his memorial in
many of the principal trails and scores
of names of places which breathe the
atmosphere of the days of which Bret
Harte wrote
: To those who seek sojourn, healthful-
ness and recreation, Lake Tahoe in it's
various parts offers an infnity of at
traction. 1t combines the restfulness
of the seashore with the invigorating
atmosphere of the mountains. For
those who want to feast the mind and
soul while the body rests, Nature has
created here a retreat where the eye
opens only on bauty, where every
change of view point offers a new in
spiratiOn. The succession of scene and
the new arrangement of the elements
of the landscape with each change of
position is like the progress of "A glori-
Gus melody in sweet harmony with the
diapason of mountain and lake.
If activity of body with restfulness of
mind is sought there is Zest i'm the
senses and a tngle in the blood with
each breath of this glorious air in any
of the score of recreative activities
abundantly offered. Trout fishing in
Lake Tahoe or in any of the score of
smaller lakes in the region is sure of
rich rewards. There is game in the
mountains on both sides of the lake for
those of strenuous activity, There Is
every allurement of mountain climbing
from the lofty or difficult peak to be
climbed, the first trail of the season
to be broken through a snOwfield, or a
new record in time to be made to the
physically less strenuous delight of
gathering violets and anemOnes and
other flowers of the early spring. For
spring persists throughout the sum-
mer i'm the Tahoe region, starting at the
waters edge in the early Vernal months
and climbing the mountains in the
wake of the receding snow. Whatever
activity the most glorious combination
of lake and mountain and forest, flower
carpeted glens, cascaded streams, lake.
let's and snow fields, and over all and
throughout all the vivid greens, sap
phire and turquoise blues of forest,
lakes and sky, can offer or suggest are
here to be had at the reckoning of de-
sire.
Lake Tahoe lies within the borders of
| two stafas California; and Nevada Its