The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-06-03

country that contain miniature lakes; but there
is only really great cadera of this kind In the
word-only one immense basin apparently formed
through the complete melting by intense neat VI
the entire core of a great volcano, and the falling
in and utter disappearance through subterranean
caverns Of its massive bulk.
The titanic CONFUSION that formed this remark
able beauty-spOt human eye Witnessed Geolo-
gistS have concluded that ages ago. in the great
chain of volcanic mountain peaks which today eN-
tends from Washington to CalifoTnia-amOng them
Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, Mt. Jefferson,
Three Sisters, Mt Mclaughlin Mt. Shasta and Las
sen Peak-there lowered one, which has been
called Mount Mazama. that may have topped the
tallest OF It's fellows. Judging from the pitch
of the of its outer slopes scientists con-
clude with reasonable certainty that, If recon
structed, its snow-clad peak would rise from
seven to eight thousand feet above its broken
rim. Mazama stands today an uncrowned king,
shOrn of its diadem of burning gold and glittering
silver. yet holding within its heart treasure the
rarest in the world-a beautiful lake, the deepest
of all lakes. with waters the biuest of all blue
waters And this is Crater lake
Crater lake is almost circular, varying from five
to six miles in diameter. It's known depth is 1000
feet and it is believed to be the deepest body of
fresh water in the world. Its surface is GIT
feet above the 1t has inlet outlet. being
fed by springs and winter SHOWS; its water es-
capes by underground channels, reappearing
springs in the klamath region. a few miles away.
1t is completely girdled by precipitOus cliffs and
steep talus slopes that fall sharply downward
from its rim 1000 600 feet TO the waters edge
Closely encircling it rise many high peaks, notably
Lao Rock. The Waterman, and Cloud Cap; also
Glacier Garfield and Vidae Peaks.
Surrounded by canyons ravines and pinnaced
rocks, and belted by a wilderness of boulder
strewn forests the region for years was inacces-
sible and unexpIored except by the more ven
turesome who were attracted by stories of the
Indians OF this mystery lake in its fantastic set
ting Yet its discovery accidental it
Cured in 1853 while exploring party was
searching in the Cascade mountains for the fam
Lost Cabin mine.
a dispute arose over the choice of a name, the
party dividing between Mysterious lake and Deep
Blue lake. The advocates of Deep Blue lake won
the vote but in 1869 a visiting party renamed it
Crater lake, and this by natural right became its
title
The first sight of Crater lake is weIl-nigh be-
wildering Unless looked into from the rim it is
invisible. Wonderment at the height and steep
ness of its encircling cliffs succeeds the first
constituent; admiration OF the loneliness Of its
coloring next enthralls the behOlder in the
ouence of Impressions Its unique beauty lies in
no small measure in fits cOlOring. the brilliance
of which If reproduced in painting or print would
seem exaggerated and impossible to those who
have the reality. Nowhere else is there
such an azure One feels that a glass Of its
ter would show blue II stained with cobalt, but
IT is clear crystal and pure The deeper
parts a brilliant ultramarine. shading to
turquoise In the ShallOwer reaches, and to light
Jade green in the few indented coves around the
shore A hundred feet down the glaze of a plate
is plainly discernible. The surroundings help the
brilIiance of the blue; the rocks Of metallic
hues the peaks OF the rim often snow covered:
the lava gray OF the steep SCARED walls is notified
and splOtched with bright yellows and reds. mark
ings left by volcanic action long ago, and always
there is the dark green Of the pines and frs and
shrubs that grow on these declivities wherever
they find root-hold The waters usually piac-
i'd cleaning as though glazed by the sun and in
this mirror Of Nature the reflections stand out
with astounding distinctness.