The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-10-12

count of pedestrian trip made from
Medford, Ore, city on the southern
| Pacific, to the wonderful and mysteri-
GUS Crater Lake, Ore, one hundred
miles distant and return. The trip
was made by former young man OF
Keokuk who left here small boy
with his parents, the father being at
the time of the departure a well
known business man of the city and
also held prominent offlcial position
in the city government; and the moth
er was from one of the old and highly
respected families Of Keokuk This
son has now grown into young man
hood. He is a, student Of scientific
farming, student Of the Oregon Az
! ricultural college, and this trip was
no doubt taken in pursuit Of know
ledge in the line of the studies which
he is earnestly and enthusiastically
i pursuing.
There is always fascination in the
story of camp life. Around Keokuk
4 where camping parties, especially in
the summer season, is very popular,
this story will be of especial interest
aside from some of the instructive
and interesting descriptions of seen
of which SO much has been said and
written. The story of the trip is told
in very entertaining way
/ The facts are best given by quoting
from the story written by this Oregon
young man, a former Keokuk boy,
we'll and most tenderly remembered
by many Keokuk people and below is
what he says of his interesting trip:
/ Oregon Pedestrian Tour.
/ I'VE started on our trip on Satur-
day morning, September 20, and got
to Crater Lake by Monday. The seen.
cry of the whole trip was grand be.
yond telling; but the trip through the
park was perhaps the best OF all, with
the exception of the last eight miles:
we took the road all the way to the
, lake. The first night we camped at q
place twenty miles from the railroad
We carried our "eats" in pack sacks
on our backs.
"Skookum Gorge was one of the
pretty places where one might oamp
and 1t was here that we spent oul
first night. We built our camp fire
had our supper, and enjoyed what il
always the most pleasant part o.
camping-the hour around the camp
fire between supper and bedtime. L
seemed mighty good to be out in the
open again, and we were just poor
and ordinary enough to enjoy su il al
outing. We slept till s o'clock thu
next morning, and got to littl,
mountain resort known as Prospec
by noon. That afternoon we came tt
Mill Creek Falls and Natural Lf,dge
We spent some little time at boil
places. and arrived at Whisky Crael
at o'clock in the evening. It was al
ideal place to camp and as we hat
made twenty-five miles that day. WI
felt content to spend the night there
"All the creeks are cold and cleal
and the water is fine, so we ha,
plenty of drinking water. We slep
warm that night, but were surprise.
to find everything covered with fros
+ in the morning. 1t was as cold a
Z January. 1t was perfect weather 70
walking and we got started by 7:3
! o'clock BY $50 we came to the er
trance of the park itself, and soon me
couple of fire guards. They ha
left the lake that morning and toll
us of trail which would save US thre
miles. The walking was very steer
SO we were glad to take advantage 0
any short cuts. Herbert was som
half hour longer getting to the top tha
i, in spite of his longer legs. | woul
have waited for him, but he insiste
on stopping to rest and that IS some
thing / don't believe in under the Gil
cumstances. 1t was very cold and
was nicely warmed up. If had STOP
ped, it would have taken all the spiri
out of me. | put on an extra shir
and sweater when | reached the tor
and sat dangling my feet over enc
thousand foot cliff, while < was wait
ing for Herbert.
"As ! have asid, it is almost impos
sible to exaggerate the appearance o
: the lakes. 1t seems to have moods
and changes from the darkest to tn
lightest blues. The water Is 50 clea
that one can see tin plate distinct
ly as far as ninety feet under water
1t is much larger body of waite
than one would suppose from the pic
lures of 1t. l believe it is four mile
across and sixteen miles around. Cor
trary to common report, there ar
several places where one might ge
down to the lake, but there is only on
path built at present. 1t takes twer
ty minutes to go down and an hou
to come up from the lake shore. TIL
shallcwest place is one hundred an
forty feet deep and 1t Is said the
: have not found bottom In. places, br
it isn't true. People like to believ
that saying, for it gives an idea {
it's depth. / don't know just how dee
n Ia hit II 10 raalIy vary dean TN,