East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-05-09


land, who is touring the United State
ana writing his observations to tn
newspapers in the far-away island, re
Gently, had published In the Hut
Chronicle of Wellington, New Zealant
an article on Oregon From the Sum
init of Mt. Hood" Mr.. Clapham ha
the following to say in his article:
All the experience l had game
from seven successful and from a
many unsuccessful ascents of Noun
Egmont, New Zealand, was needed L
scale the glacier leading up to tn
summit of Mount Hood, Oregon. TIL
season was late-almost too late. TIL,
long summers heat had melted iron
the face of the glacier all the softe
snow and Ice which provides a foot
ing, and had left nothing but a bare
slippery surface, hard as adamant
and yielding only to persistent effor
with mattock hatchet and alpenstock
AS we gradually ascended the grea
glacier we picked our way cautiousl,
across the narrow and all too fragile
ice bridges that afforded the only pas.
sages across the chasms that at the
season of the year are everywhere ex.
posed on the side of the great glacier
The last thousand feet OF the almost
vertical glacier face would have beer
practically impossible without the aid
OF guide ropes which earlier in the
season had been firmly attached to
the summit, and for two hours the
whole party depended for progress
indeed, for life itself-upon this rope
Tor often slip would leave us
dangling, struggling for foothold
with great bottomless chasm yawn
ing Just below.
Myself excepted, all OF the party,
including one lady, were members of
the United States government geo.
logical survey and among them were
some experienced climbers, yet all felt
the strain of that last two hours of
toll. mentally as well as physically.
How often, as the rope swayed to and
fro and strained with the weight of
the whole party. did we wonder
whether 1t might fray on the rocks
above or be cut by some of the fall
ing rocks that from time to time we
were compelled to dodge.
Grand Panorama.
Under such circumstances II is lit
tie wonder that we scarcely looked
around us until we gained the sum-
NIT where we realized for the first
time what 1t means to stand on a pin
naole nearly $4,000 feet above the
surrounding world.
Around us was one OF the grandest
panoramic views the world has to Of
fer. The most striking feature Of the
view is the seven isolated volcanic
mountain cones each high among the
high mountains OF the world, each
over 5000 feet in height, and rising
grandly from the comparatively low
lying Cascade range. Their bases
were veiled In mist; their symmetrical
forms were outlined against a blue
sky Their ridges and gulches were
thrown into relief or shade by the
light of the morning sun. Seven such
cones as Mount Egmont; for II not so
symmetrical as that queen of the |
south. they are very much higher,
and In the presence of their rivals
does not detract from but rather adds
to their majesty and grandeur.
Mount Baker, near the Canadian
border. was not visible nor was Mount
Shasta in northern California, but
Mount Rainier, Mount Adams and
Mount st. Helens, in Washington,
Mount Pitt, Mount Scott and Mount
Jefferson In Oregon were the peaks
that contributed to our grand pano-
rama. Standing on this eliminating
point Of the Cascade range we COM
manded a splendid view of both east
ern and western Oregon.
Not that the whole OF Oregon is
visible from Mount Hood, for the peak
Is too close to the Columbia river,
which forms the northern boundary.
Southern Oregon is lost to view in the
but enough of eastern and
western Oregon is visible to form a
very striking contrast. Western Ore
gon appears all forest. in spite of the
splendid and expansive areas under
while eastern Oregon
seems comparatively desolate. With
The eastern foothills of the Cascade
range the forests disappear.
Eastern View.
There is no temperance OF forest
and till one reaches the Blue noun
aims, over 100 miles to the east, and
his great expanse between is covered
with sagebrush and bunchgrass.
While western Oregon has long been
with its fertile soil and
moist climate as one of the most pro-
luct!ve countries in the world, east I
,rn oregon was thought to be waste.
1t was inhabited by the Nez ,
oerces Indians, who kept mostly to ,
he Columbia river and its tributaries {
But, as with so many countries the !
,ioneers came. in the form of miners
earching for gold. Placer mining !.
vas started on an extensive scale, and
ater was followed by regular quartz !
mining.
Towns sprang up in great numbers, c
nd though many of them have long r
ince disappeared, there remains a b
population who follow
mining. Cultivation Of the soil on a e
moderate scale followed as a natural =
esult, and grazing. too. s
Then some discovered with SIR n