The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1922-01-05
LEGION HOOD CLIMB
BECOMING POPULAR

II near the timber line Of the north base
II of Mount Hood, gave impetus to {
II more ambitious scheme that bids fan
II to result in an annual ascent of Ore
II gon's most accessible snow peak, ar
II annual event, which is already attract
Il ing attention far from the bounds oi
II the home state.
II Already the Legion Post of the
II Apple Valley has a well formulated
II plan that will no doubt result ulti.
II nately in an annual participation in
II mountain sports that will be as well
II known nationally as the Pendleton
Il Roundup of today. The scheme has
\ proven popular since its inception last
II July, and local civic and commercial
L organizations, as well as county Off
II cials, have indicated a sincere willing
ness to aid the movement.
Briefly the Hood River Post proposes
/ to establish permanent camp at some
/ Well-Watered nook, covered with hand
some cone bearing evergrens Of the
' high altitude, hemlocks, species of frs
, and the scragly mountain pines. A
choice to date has not been made, but
innumerable sites are available. There
wild flowers in score Of varieties are
blooming at the edge Of snoWbanks.
There the mid summer heat of the hot.
test day is tempered, and the snow and
ice-inVigorated atmosphere gives eX-
hilaration to the hlker or climber.
There in the remote mountain fastness
wee chipmunks, not yet grown wary
of the approach of man, chatter a vel
come and beg crumbs and peanuts.
The Legion men may, if they like,
choose campsite alongside the new
Mount Hood Loop Highway, six miles
of the grade of which has already been
cut through the scenic district already.
Or if they prefer a more secluded re-
treat they may place their camp off
| the beaten path, destined to be travelled
over by thousands of motor tourists be-
fore the year 1925 shall have ended,
| location in the very heart of mountain
| fastness, and yet closely connected with
the great scenic boulevard by trail,
and even in time by lateral automo-
bile road. The cost of equipping such
camp will be nominal. Indeed the
Forestry Service will aid with road or
trail construction.
The success of the initial venture Of !
last summer has stimulated the mem |
bers of the local Post to action. The |
members of the organization have for
maly approved of the plan, and gen
eral executive committee with Kent |
Shoemaker, as chairman, has been APP
pointed to take permanent charge. The
camping trip Of last summer, including
but two days, was hurried affair.
The recTeationists assembled here on
the afternoon of July 30. a Saturday,
and We're taken by automobile to a
trail leading into the camp. The night
was spent around huge bonfire, where
stirring songs of war days were sung,
and where addresses were delivered by
such notables as Governor OlcOtt, Sec,I
retary Of State Kozer and Adjutant
General White. The members of the
camp who attempted the climb were
out at sun-Up and off on the long siren
uous trip up the tortuous grade of loose
and rolling stones to the top of Coop
er's Spur and from thence on destined,
if they reached the days goal and
wrote their names in the Mazama
book. ever welcoming the successful
climber, on the summit. to zg-zag
across glistening snowlields and step
across yawning creVasses of
glaciers. There was no time for lei
sure because scarcely had the climbers
who reached the top participated in
the thrill of a slide down half-mile
of snow fields and busted the accumu-
lation of flakes from their garments
when they were summoned to trek ,
down the trail to the awaiting caravan
Of automobiles and hasten to various ,
homes in all parts of Oregon. Many :
were the improvisatiOns of last July, I
and the weary climbers were delayed ,
in getting back to Hood River, as the ;
base camp was more than 20 miles
from the city. The remote road into
the camp was narrow and rough, and
the automobilists had difficulty in
avoiding congestion and in getting p
their machines turned around and j
headed home. 1t was after midnight ,
when the last of the Legion camp s
party had reached Hood River. Gov T,
arnor Olcott and Secretary of State a
hozer on arrival here found it neces- 4
7ary TO take an automobile immediate .
" for Port land, in order to keep off +
,ial engagements. The latter on
reaching the metropolis Immediately h
'aught a train out for a Montana point !
% participate in the annual convention q
If secretaries Of state from all the a
Union. Both high officials, however. h
eft Hood River expressing unbounded o.
enthusiasm over the Legion's plans i
md declaring that they would return II
o future reunions. Both before they n
eft the mountain environs, ordered n
rom Mark Weygandt. the veteran i
.uide in charge of the party, alpen-
tocks and other mountaineer's para
,hernaia.
Indeed, it was the enthusiasm of the
.uests whose letters and messages. al
the climb, that stimulated a,
he Hood River Legion members to N
heir ambitious plans. n
Every man and woman who Joined h.
ar party SAYS Mr. Shoemaker, has -
ecome a booster. They all write that N
hey want more Of il, and IL is up to il
S TO give il to them. Our plans, it M
Gems to me, offer unlimited pOssibil- Ia
lies. With the opening of the Mount fa
lood Loop Highway and the acessibil-
y Of the snowhelds Of Mount Hood. u
do not see why we cannot take adj IN
antage of this offer of the great ge
,enic district and benefit our state In
nd at the same time give the eastern an
rs and mlddlewesterners some thrills
lat will last them for lifetime.
lmbing TO the top Of Mount Hood is
'mcthing that no one can ever forget.
lst ask anyone who has ascended 70 81,
nat little area up there az the top Of -
be world and looked down on the vast r.
Npanses away of above patches Of sf.
immer clouds, Just ask them how ~.
ley felt. how infinitely small they W
.emCd, how awe-iuspiring that
imUse Of the earth from the two mile So.
Eh elevation was When they have 81
fished. you Will understand why Hood 81
liver Post Is SO enthusiastic over the rg
timate plans of the annual climb of IL
e mountain and why they are conf ry
.ut. at least those Of Us who have IS.
ally scnsed the thing. that in T.I
cale our recreational stunt is going ~,