The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1917-07-26
HOOD WELCOMES
LARGE PARTY
Continued From First Page)

Once the jaded climbers got hold of
the 100 foot rope new hope was in
spired, but rest must be taken every
ten or fifteen steps. Looking upward
while resting the top of the mountain
appears but few yards distant but to
the tired toiler it seems little headway
is gained, which irks ones soul and
gives rise to moments of doubt
whether to continue on to the goal or
give up in despair and turn back
toward camp. With chilled feet and
perspiring brow the hardest continue
onward and upward, getting new in
spiration from the yodeling and cheers
of bunch of pygmies sitting on a
shelf of rock on the mountain top.
Half way up the long rope it was OBJ
served that some of the jaded leaders
by sheer force were actually pulling
some of the well nigh exhausted
climbers along.
Eventually the top was reached and
numbed sensibilities were soon consid.
erably revived by the feeling of tri-
umph experienced as one looks over
the peak ridge and views on the other
side below the southern slopes of ma
jestic Mount Hood. 1t would seem
nothing short of presumptuous folly to
attempt a satisfying description of the
panorama unfolded to view from the
top of this mountain, towering as it
does ii, ,225 feet above the sea level
the grandeur of it all. To the east
ward are the huge, undulating ridges
of eastern Oregon, covered with a pur-
pie haze and harmony of blended color
suggesting combination of Alsatian
blue, the heather bloom of the Tros-
sachs, the rich green and brown of the
Swiss Alps, the lingering cloud effects
of Fujiyama, Sacred Mountain of
Japan, and the smoky haze which over
hangs the Benguet mountains of the
Philippines. Projecting their snow
capped peaks above cloudland may be
seen from this eminence a half score
of mountain peaks, including Mount
Adams, Mount jefferson, Shasta,
Three Sisters, and the coast range.
To the northwest are plainly visible
Lost Lake and Bull Run Lake, gleam-
ing like unmounted amethysts in
Mother Natures jewel casket.
OF the 81 ambitious climbers who
valiantly set out from Sand Canyon
camp in the morning, approximately
so reached the summit of Mount Hood.
Here at the top of the world were met
three separate and smaller parties of
mountain climbers who had scaled the
heights from Government Camp over
the south trail. Perhaps the most
astounding feature revealed at the top
was the presence of a ne.Iegged man
on crutches who had made the climb
from the southern camp. This para
doxical person proved to be none other
than Estes Snedecor, a Portland attor-
ney, who in addition to being an officer
of the Rotary Club is also a devoted
mountain climber, this occasion being
his second trip to the top of Mount
Hood.
Atop Mount Hood on the highest
possible point is a lookout station-a
small house not over IL feet square,
above which is superimposed coming
tower with glass windows on all four
sides. The presiding genius of this
castle in the clouds is one Elijah Coal
man, whose sole destiny in life for at
least two months of the year is to live
apart from the world, far from the
maddening crowds ignoble strife.
Monarch of all the surveys, his duty
is to keep on the watch for forest fires
and report all outbreaks by telephone
to his co.workers of the lower world.
Eagle-eyed, strong of body, man of
few words and an inscrutable smile.
he welcomes with equal courtesy all
comers to his cloud kissed castle.
True to type of those who live much
alone, whether in mountain, desert, or
at sea, he talks but little. Those who
know hun best say he is a wonder. A
few days before the Mazamas arrived
on this trip, Coalman, all in one day,
made trip from the timber line on
the south side to the summit, carrying
90 pounds of supplies. Then he hiked
over to the Triangular Morraine and
back to the summit, and after this fin
ished up with two trips to Crater
Rock, any one of which trips would
have been fair days work for the
average mortal. "And he wasn't feel
ing very well that day, either" added
the admiring informant.
After eating lunch at the top, and
an hours rest, the Sand Canyon crowd
assembled for the return trip. While
the descent is made much more rapidly
than the upward climb, it is not with
out its dangers and difficulties.
Again the mixers grasped the upper
end of the 100 foot rope and in a