Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1921-09-08
Mineral, Tehama Co.
California

L
California.
u S. Forest Service.
My Dear Miss Little:
All summer I've wanted to write to
you, but just seemed too lazy. Came
up here in the High Sierras June 20.
My friend had six weeks old baby,
so her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Holmes
broughk us in their large car. AT
that, with all the baggage, wraps and
baby, we were very crowded. The
first day we covered 212 miles over the
highway n the Sacramento Valley,
stopping over night in Red Bluff. The
next day we travelled the same length
of time covered 46 miles. But we we're
leaving the Valley, climbing mount
aims and driving over the most miser-
able roads I've ever seen. Tehama
county is volcanic region. Acres and
acres of ground are covered with
black volcanic rocks Of all sizes. The
small ones make walking very hard.
Sometimes one passes thru the most
desOlate rock covered regions without
a tree even. There are many butes,
extinct volcanoes. Lassen, IA miles
from here and plainly visible, is the
only active volcano. I was at the base
one day, but felt no inclination to
climb it. 4 iarge party attempted to
climb TO the summit, but many came
back before they got very far. Two
ladies succeeded in reaching the top.
There is much natural scenery here
out little known Some miles away
is a very wonderful ice-cave, SO cold
one can only go in for few moments.
The Forest sevice people drive
there for their ice when ever they
make ice-cream. Some twenty miles a.
way at brakes Bad are foundations
similar to those in Yellowstone Park.
There are a large hot lake. bubbling
mud pots and cOlOred springs. Six
miles away at Morgan Springs are
many sulphur springs and boiling
springs For many years this was
much visited summer resort, but is
now entirely abandoned. It is a small
meadow entirely surrounded by high
fOrested mountains with several snow
capped peaks showing above. 1t re-
minds one much of the deep valleys of
Switzerland. Some day when Cali
fornia extends it's good highway thru
these mountains this section will
again become a favorite summer re-
sort, and probably be known as a
place of many attractions. At present
One Clings to the auto with both hands
and often closes the eyes when going
down these steep grades or along
a narrow road with sheer drop of
hundreds of 1eet on one side and the
mountain going up on the other side.
twenty-five miles of new road is
Round Meadow Valley where only the
fiTe-ranger and a lookout lives. The
fishing is the best there so three Of US
went over, prepared to camp over
night. We carried our mattress which
was placed on an old comforter on
the ground, an I army blanket was
placed on the mattresss. For covers
we had two double wooden blankets
and an eiderdOwn comforter and we
were none too warm. We had small
tent open at both ends over us. We
liked the place SO we'll we stayed two
nights. The ranger was so glad to
see us he did all the cooking and
dishwashing We had the usual high
mountain fare, Mexican beans, strong
coffee with canned milk, canned
fruit, fried ham, good potatoes. For
breakfast we had fried bacon, eggs
onderful flap-jacks with honey, coffee
bread, fresh fruit and some other
the fried mountain trout we could eat
and onoe frtedg squirrel We took
break, fresh fruit and some other
itE1ings When so we'll treated one
enjoys remaining. Everywhere here
are wonderful streams and brooks
The first evening while sitting around
the camp fire we saw deer in the
meadow. The ranger threw the strong
archlight from his auto over the
meadow and one could see the deer
very plainly. Before midnight there
were II grazing about. but always on
the alert. The ranger placed salt on
log 80 feet from his camp and the
deer came up for the salt. They are
not afraid of him either. He speaks
to them. Two large bucks never came
near us az long as any one is up but
Craze on the further side of the mea-
dow close to the edge. The second
night we saw Is deer. This was a
wonderful sight for city folks. Las
sen National Forest comprises 1,5OO,-
600 acres of pellow and sugar pine,
incense cedar and fir. There are six
young couples and four young men
here in the service. The government
furnishes little grey painted cottages
with roofs painted bright green. The
unmarried men live in tents. The field
service only lasts from Nav Is to Oct.