Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-10-17

Picture a mountain. gorge in the
Businesses OF the matchless Cascades
which is 81 miles long, averages two
miles in width and is frequently one
and three-quarters miles deep: then
I'LL this gorge to depth of from 1900
to $500 feet with the sparkling waters
that come tumbling. down the precip
itous sides of the mountains, decimat-
Ing in summer time scores of glisten-
ing and fantastic glaciers; frame the
whole, in imagination, in the blue or
a sky unsurpassed and in the cease
less glitter of millions of snow dia-
monds; then throw about it the misty
glamor of a legendary past and the
charm of present solitude unbroken
by rude evidence of civilization-and
you will have dim idea of the glories
of Lake Chelan.
Before this picture of the magma
ton fades, draw another of the ages
before the time Of man. Extend this
same Cascade Range gorge to a dis
lance of more than 100 miles; take
away it's wealth of shin mering wa
ters; supplant them by an ice pact ex-
tending from the crest of the Cascades
to the very waters of the turbulent
Columbia, varying in depth from a few
feet to more than 5000, a river of
solid ice more wonderful than the
Muir Glacier, resistless force of ma
ture slowly wearing and tearing and
grinding its relentless way towards
the waters that lead to the Pacific
ocean, soaring the mountain sides
and preparing the way for scene in
the coming ages which is unsurpassed
for the fertility of its beauty Do this
and you will have the story of the
creation of the wonderful Chelan
which lies as a gem almost undiscov
cred in the heart Of wealth and plenty
in northern Washington.
It seems incredible that the greatest
lake in the great state of Washington
lake where nature has been more
than prodigal with her scenic effects
should be so little known, so little
sought and so little visited. Like the
other great scenic attractions of the
west and northwest, Lake Chelan il
off the main transcOntinental thorough
fares. 1t takes time and costs some
effort to get there, and life is race
after time, with most Americans
Chelan, however, is soon to be rescued
from the comparative seclusion it ha:
| enjoyed, and it is not an idle \predic
tion to say that it will before long b.
rivaling the Yellowstone, the Yosemite
, and the Grand Canyon of Arizona il
+; the bid for popular favor. 49,.
Lake Chelan is glacial-fed body o
water, resembling river more thar
a lake, narrow ribbon of emerald
!; blue in the SCARED side of the eastern
slope of the Cascade mountains. I
extends from the famous Stehekil
canyon, southeasterly along nearly tn
entire side of Chelan county to within
four miles Of the Columbia river. .
+ Overland from the railroad the jour
ney to the lake may be made through
mountain passes, awe-inspiring can
yons filled with many-hued rocks an,
watered by scores Of tumultuous gla
cial streams filed with imposing ston
minarets towering above the fleec.
clouds to the glistening, sparkling
melting snow fields above. This. i
the route, however, of the hardy noun
taineer and of. the glacier climber.
| The; ordinary traveller prefers tn
river route. : The railroad is left a
Wenatchee, at the juncture of tn
Wenatchee and the Columbia rivers
land; in a valley of the same name
+ Wenatchee, which sprang up in q
might, following the discovery-rof tn
magician wand called irrigation, bid
fair to become the commercial cente
OF northern central Washington. * !
! nestles in an irrigated valley Of. ALA
dinlike fertility, is on; the main trans
continental line of the Great North
ern,t and is one Of the garden spot
Of the Pacific northwest - j ~ 4
The sole means Of communicable,
between: the Chelan country and th
outside world ! at. present Isl by til
Chelan. and the Selkirk, two. SINAI
river steamers belonging to- the e
4 - NJ