The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1922-07-27
LOOP HIGHWAY
WONDER ROAD
NEW ROUTE THRILLS ALL VISITORS
ThOrOughfare Will Not Only Open Scenic
District But Will Result in New
Land Development

motorist who is longing for new roads
and new scenery to conquer with his
favorite automobile. The genus is
rare here in Oregon. where even the
most leisurely of citizens. it might ap-
pear. would never be able to behold all
glories of natural beauty made avail
able by. ever busy crews of highway
builders. Yet they exist, and persist
in boring friends with what they have
seen and what they wish to see.
Perhaps it is an extravag ance of
white space to coddle such all wise
motorists with even a suggestion of
new sensations in roads. And let this
Introductory depression be ended with
recommendation to them that they
steer as soon as they wish to the new
link of the Mount. Hood Loop Highway
in the Oregon National Forest on the
east and northeast base of Mount Hood
if they would breaksthe shell of their
callousness. Here, practically isolated,
for the connecting link has not yet
been built, are located nine miles of
wonder highway, and before the SHOWS
of autumnAhave fallen contractors will
have almost completed another IA
miles, connecting Hood River county,
at the national forest bounds, with the
old Barlow trail, that highway made
sacred by the sacrifices of pioneers.
Except for the reports of engineers
and contractors, or the stories brought
out by ventuTesome seekers for road
data, but little has been heard of the
Mount Hood Loop Highway, that is,
OBJ ifc oofuol nonakrnoffor md ft,,f
what manner of road it is. 1t is true
that proponents of the great loop
route, in their pleas for action by tax
of what it will make available to the
motoring public. A trip up the East
Fork of Hood river will give proof
the dreams of the ultra-enthusiast
The mountain section of the Mount
Hood Loop Highway, when the con-
Meeting links are finally completed and
opened to traffic, are goingsto.prove a
pleasant and gratifying surprise to the
automobile owners of Oregon and their
visitors, annually swelling to greater
numbers.
1t is now possible to reach the Mount
Hood Loop Highway within the Oregon
National Forest, but the old county
roads south of Parkdale are long and
narrow. They are cut through vol
canic ash, that fertile soil of the east
ern part of the Upper Valley, where
ancient burns have killed off the forest
trees and where highland willows grow
as dense as a tropical jungle. An oc-
casional copse of fir forest stands with
its lofty conifers along the wayside. or
maybe the old road penterates the
groves, giving the traveller surcease
for a few moments from the brilliant
summer sun and the deep, fine dust,
which settles like confectioner's flour
over your moist face and hands. For
the most part, however, the wayside
is mass of bushes. which grow close
beside the road. They slap and
scratch the tenders and body Of the
car. Do not travel the old county
roads, if you love the unmarried sur
face of your machine.
And yet right today journey into
the East Fork wilds is worth a few
such sacrifices, if you are lover of
nature and virgin mountain beauty.
With a suddenness that thrills you, you
burst out of fir forest on an intersec-
tion of the new road with the old mar
row defile of the county, the thorough
fare of the regions hOmesteader.
There before you lies the choice of
continuing on the highway of the days
of slow. horsedrawn mountain hacks
or the modern boulevard of the era of
gasoline. Any standard automobile
would of its own volition swerve off
down that new highway.
You'll travel few miles and then
you'll say to yourself: well, I'll
take off my hat to the Forestry Ser
vice this is some road" 1t is 20 feet
wide, like the grade of double track
railway line. Its curves are graceful
aad not too sudden. Where the forma-
tion is of gravel, with some admixture
of clay, the road, used since its con-
struction only by wagons and trucks of
the builders and an occasional bold
motorists automobile, is packed down
like hard surfaced boulevard.
Perhaps two miles, or maybe il is
more, from the forest bounds you sud
denly swing over an eminence down
into the East Fork canyon. Unless |
the smoke from forest burns has set
certain haze off to the north you can
look down that rugged canyon, with its |
sheer precipices and |
chisled rimrocks, and see Mount Ad- |
ans, Mount Rainier and Mount st. |
Helens off to the north. The stream, /
here and there csscading. lies at the |
bottom like a silvery ribbon. Here /
and there. if you have ever cast a fly /
you locate intuitively pools that are /
haunted by giant trout, and you i'm /
express disappointment if 1
you have left your rod and fiy book |
home. Gently. the grade al no place /
exceeding five per cent, you descend 10 |
the very waters edge Of the East \
Fork and cross to the east side. The /
is already completed some
live miles along the stream, following
i up on a water grsde. The most Of
the way the highway is cut from an
1verhanging gOrgeside, but occasional
Iy il leaves the singing stream to
shortcut through the virgin trees, and
in these groves how appealing are the
sites for midsummer camps. AS YOU
motor along the East Fork here at an
elevation from 3 600 20 4.O0O feet,
you'll never forgive yourself If you
are a fisherman and have left your
Jackie at home, for inviting pools can
be whipped from the running board Of
yOur machine. Indeed, this was just
The feat that J. H. Fredriey performed
Sunday before last. The Mount Hood
Legion Climb lured Mr.. Fredricy and
he writer to the Upper Valley coun-
.ry. Instead Of climbing 10 the sum
nit Of Mount Hood We spent the day
inspecting the new highway Mr.