The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1919-07-03

AANNb H. H. NhAi HHilN > iAtiN' ei't aAA
the State Fish and Game Commission
distributing ear. the Rainbow.
Last year the organization began
agitation for the Appropriation of d
fund for eutting.the new road. and fol-
( lowing memorable address bytJ. H.
Fredricy, vice president of the game
association. at budget meeting last
December. the county court appT0prI-
ated g, $50 for the task. A survey
had formerly been made over route
that eliminated the former difficult
grades and through bewildering maze
of virgin forests. The sum apprepri-
ated by the county was far from suth-
cient to cut highway the ten mile
distance from the end of existing cOGn-
ty roads penetrating the region of the
/ Upper West Fork, but the game asSo-
cation secured cooperation OF the I. 5
Forestry Department. whose crews
viii build six miles of the way through
the national forest. The county fund.
too, has been augmented by more than
5000 raised through private subscrip-
ti0ns fostered by the game club.
The new Lost Lake road is now un-
der construction. County Commission
er Hannum, who has ever been a CON
sistent booster for the road, has per
sonal supervision of the men engaged.
He and his crew are steadily eating
their way through the approximate
four miles of forest, leaving in their
wake a we'll graded road l6 feet wide
While the old Lost Lake road was
steep and crooked, the new road viii
in no place have grade TO exceed
per cent. Forestry crews, some Of
whose construction work, it is said
will be more difficult than that of the
county undertaking, will start at the
edge of the national forest and build
this summer and fall directly to the
! lakes shore, and by next summer Ore
gon motorists and their visitors may
| journey to spot where they will store
away IN the treasure house of their
memory the recollection of pleasant
woodland glades, a lake as enhancing
as any loch set to song by Scottish
| bards, and a view of Mount Hood like
the 'clOse-ups' of a movy. The Hood
| River Game Protective Association is
going to win world of thanks for
opening the Lost Lake country to the
motoring vacatlonlst.
The early completion of the Lost
Lake.road will be direct'resalt of the
opening.of the Columbia Highway and
a proof that construction Of trunklne
| highways leads inevitably to deve-
opment of lesser side roads Lacking
the stimulus created by the influx of
scores Of motorists daily, many of
them seeking an appealing camping
ground, local citizens might have al
lowed years to elapse before motor
road reached Lost Lake.
Eventually the Lost Lake road will
probably be extended through LolG
Pass to the highway leading up the
Sandy,river from Portland sto Govern
ment Camp. and thus a shorter loop
than that being projected around the
east base of Mount Hood will tempt
| the motorst.
Lost Lake will become to the Hood
River Valley what Crater Lake is to
the Rogue 1t will not only attract
the motorist out for day, but camp
ing parties will spend weeks in the
forest retreats. The surrounding coun-
try may best be seen by the camper
Scores of side trips offer tempting
days hikes. Butcher Knife mountain
or ridge looms to the east of the lake
1t secured its name from the discovery
by Jake Lenz and Pete Odell several
years ago Of an old rusted butcher
knife on its summit The knife was
probably lost by some hunter.
From the top of this ridge, when the
weather is clear, one may see the top
of Mount jefferson looming on the hor
izon to the south Of Hood. Lost Lake,
of emerald quiet, if calm prevails,
or sparkling like a diamond if the
wind rippes its surface, is below you
on the west, and across it's surface
rises huckeherry mountain. where a
zigzag trail forms letter IN" on its
PERCEPTIONS sides. Huckleberry bush
es grow on an area Of more than 100
acres here. and the fruit, ripening in
the autumn sunshine in past years, has
drawn hundreds Of Indians from all
parts of the mid Columbia. Whites
have brought hundreds of gallons Of
the luscious fruit from Huckleberry
mountain.
Off to the far east the Blue noun
tains may be seen and in the ravne
that dips into the forest runs silvery
thread that is the West Fork.
At one time it was thought that the
| line of the Mt. Hood K. K. Company
would penetrate to the shores of Lost
Lake. Logging lines of the company
already reach within six miles of the
lake, but it has been determined that
/ it will not be feasible to penetrate the
district with a road to haul timber
from its shore. Indeed, the timber
there, while dense and of an appealing
| beauty, is of no great commercial val
ue. The Oregon Lumber Company has
exchanged timber on the lake for
tracts in other sections. The forested
edges Of Lost Lake will always remain
intact. 1t was thought that the Apple
| Valleys rail line might be pushed to
the mountain body of water to carry
passengers there to great summer
resort once dreamed of. The motor
( highway, soon to be opened, however,
has ended such visions. No need for
railway will exist, and when logging
of timbered belt over Butcher Knife
mountain to the east Of the lake is
ended, the logging road vii aprobably
be abandoned. So if any of the discl.
Piles of John Ruskin, who bemoaned
the coming of whistling locomotives to
the lake country of England. become
fond of the county's sylvan retreat,
they will rejoice in.that it will escape
the proclamation Of an engines shrek.
Lost Lake is no longer lost. BY next
summer it will be available to every
motorst who may wish day Of de-
lightful outing. The Oregon Cascades
will be ready to display another Of
her scenic jewels, one Of the most
beautiful she posses.