The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1907-01-31
TO THE INN
ON SNOW SHOES
CLUB MAKESfOURTH ANNUAL TRIP
Interesting Account Of the Journey
Written by One Of the
Members.
by X. l.. Glisan.

By IL. l.. Gllsan.
In a snowstorm Friday morning, jan
,iary Is, the Snow Shoe club took the
train at Union Uepot Tor Hood River
on its fourth annual visit to Cloud
Cap Inn, Mount Hood.
The larty consisted OF j. Wesley
Ladd, president, organizer and host |;
John G. Ca, son, Herbert s. Nichols,
Marion Dolph, Walter Honeyman.
Charles E. Msrrens, Jordan Zsn,
Brandt Wickershsm, Morton II. Ins-
ey and Rodney l.. Glisan.
The view along the banks of the CO.
lumbia from the train was exception
ally attractive. The palisades glitter
cd IN heavy coats OF icy mail, white
mantlel stretched acio oss the river
from bank to bank, broken as we ap-
preached the Cascades by da,k rush
ing waters, while Bridal Veil, Latour-
ellie and Multnomah falls fell in dia
mond sheets thI ough 10y curtains.
Hood River was reached about III
o'clock and We we're soon wrestling
with IA course meal, combining ali
the essential features of breakfast,
luncl aud dinner. Our overgenerous
host evidently thought we could, like
the camels of the Sahara, take several
days provisions IN person. The bells
OF the four horse sleigbs caused us to
hasten from the dining room, omit
ting one course, much to the horror
Of our superstitious members, who
objected to leaving on Friday after
l3-course dinner, with party that
would soon, with the guides, number
l3. A telegram received the day be-
fore, stating the thermometer regis
tered six below zero near the Mount
Hood pos. office, which caused addi-
tional uneasiness. which wore away as
we and the afternoon advanced.
No sleighing could be more delight
full than that tIip of Is miles over
snow just deep enough to pack well
under the runners, and the scenery
attractive even when summer dust,
was 1t its best in winter garb.
Just beyond the Mount Hood post
office we drew up about 8 O'Clock al
the homes of two of our guides, Bert
Sandman and Bill Ediek, where we
spent the night. Improved methods
OF fastening suowshoes and skis we're
discussed, to be cussed later on, as
expeIien exposed their weak points.
The following morning we bundled
into sleighs again about 8 O'Clock
with fresh determination and fresh
horses, both necessary for the grade
and snow inci eased as We approached
our goal.
Five miles through forests Of tall tir
and redolent pine, by clearings,
through avenues of young fir, weight
cd and restless under their snow man
ties, bet ween sturdy chinkapns retus-
ing to part with their leafy covering,
the sleighs finally made the grade OF
China hill and drew up near the. home
OF our guide, Mark Weygandt, where
the snow plough had ended its useful.
ness the day preceding.
Leaving overcoats in the sleighs, we
plunged over waist deep into the
snow, put on our snowshoes and we're
soon pIodding Indian file up grade.
At IL o'clock, about halt an hour af-
ter leaving the sleighs, We gathered In
the open shed at Elk BEDS, to read
Just our shoe thongs and then push
on. The snow was in excellent condi
tion for snowshoeing and the trail
breakers had comparatively easy
time. The road was slIewn in places
With fallen trees, showing the fury OF
some recel storm, the trunks being
buried sufficiently in the snow to al
low passage tor our web feet.
As we approached the ghost forest
on China hill below the inn, the wind
was keenly felt, causing the loose
snow to 1irt in circles around US.
About A O'Clock we reached our desti-
nation and were soon enjoying the
CHEEKY blaze of large logs in the huge
fireplace In the main room OF the Inn.
ProfitiLg by the experience of former
years, we entered the inn through the
door of the east room, wheI o the wind
had swept the snow away The wind
soon became gale and, like sn evil
spirit, howled and shook the inn In
It's fury, but little did we care inside.
The door once opened ok the united
effo OF three men to close it and the
thermometer against the window pane
inside registered 20 degrees above ze'
ro, but the room itself was very com
Portable.
The fireplace, however, was the
most attractive place and dinner wal
prepared by l3 cooks, each claiming
special superiority over the others
. Snow had worked and covered th'
fireplace, making an odd contrast will
the fire below. After dinner like In
. dians we stretched out before the fir
and drifted Oft in siumber. Abou
: midnight our medical advisor had al
imaginary conflict with three bolt
burglars and claims to have vanquish
, ed all three, but his yells for assist
ance banished slumber and SO stimu
i lated the irrepressible freshman tina
0 be gave vent to his feelings in his in
: imitable Chinese dialect and it wa
some time before ne could be sup
4 pressed.
5 Sunday morning we gathered Can
/; teens together and trailed down th
y canyon half mile through the tim
7 ber to the epring near the trapper
, cabin. A thread OF smoke from th
chimney emerging through the sno'
and the freshly killed body of pin
: martin in the partly cleared space /
front of the cabin door relieved ou
/. minds of the fear that somethin
might have happened to the trapper
Sunday afternoon and evening th
wind again assumed control, but ble
!. itself out during the night. Monda
9 morning we awakened just as ros
u fingered dawn was putting a peac
J, blow coloring OH the cold white peak
towering above the cabin, plainly Wis
J. ible from our resting place. Iossin
)f hlankata aside we rushel ont in tIl
@ crisp morning all and from the plat
r. form on the roof stood stunned an
d awed by the panorama around us.
r In front rose the peer Of any mour
\ tain in America, bathed In golde
b light, canopied in sZure blue; to tf
right across dim valleys, showing fo
f. est green In gloom except for sno
raliaf tho hnriznn showed banda