The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1922-07-20
LEGION CLIMB
Is A SUCCESS
SUMMIT REACHED BY III CLIMBERS
Those Participating Reached 249-ReCre.
atiOnaI Stunt Wins New Enthusiasts
Mayor Baker Booster

party of 249 participating in the base
camp activities reaching the summit.
Weather conditions were ideal, and
only about 10 of those starting at a.
m. on the arduous ascent dropped out
of the lines. While the atmosphere
around the mountain was clear, dense
smoke from Oregon and Washington
forest fires off to the north prevented
good views of the Washington snow
peaks.
At the campfire program Saturday
night the following speakers expressed
appreciation of the efforts of the local
Legion Post: Ed. j. Eivers. of Port
land. national president of the Society
of 40 Men and Horses; Geo. l..
Baker, mayor of Portland Col. Creed
C. Hammond, who was present as
representative of Adjutant General
Geo. A. White; Secretary of State
Sam A. ,Kozer: Harry Nelson, adju.
tant of the Oregon department. Amer
ican Legion. A concert was given by
the Knights of Pythias band of this
city. and community singing was led
by Mike Brennan, of Portland.
Taps were sounded at 10 o'clock, and
members of Company G, 186th Regi-
ment. formed an armed guard around
the camp. Sentries forced those arriv-
ing after taps tossleep outside the linn
its of the camp. in order that the
climbers might not be disturbed. Sew
eral groups of stragglers reached the
camp after midnight.
Every speaker around the huge bon
fire, which lighted up the mile high
ord waGnaanA ksp
cades of Tilly Jane creek singing be-
low the camp, declared that they
would dedicate themselves to the task
of making the midsummer mountain
climb an annual national feature of
American out of door life. The visit
Ors were given taste of the fruits of
the Mount Hood Loop Highway, which
will be open TO traffic by next years
climb. Surveyors are now engaged in
laying out a six-mile lateral road from
the Loop road by way of the Legion
camp to Cloud Cap Inn, and it is an
ticipated that this improvement will
give the Legion climb great stimu-
lus.
Mayor Baker, who decided the as
cent to the summit a task dispropor-
tionate to his avordupois, and Mrs.
Baker, both of whom visited the Gre
vases and ice cascade of Eliot glacier.
declared the event one of the most in
|teresting Of their lives.
after participation in the Ameri-
can Legion Climb. said Mayor Baker,
lone gains a new respect for Mount
Hood, and the closer association wins
reverence for its magnificence.
1t was significant that many of the
climbers this year were repeaters from
last. Among them was Mr.. Kozer,
who says he is going to take part in
the annual sport until old age robs him
of the joy.
Guide Weygandt, who has made 5l5
trips to the summit, declared that he
had never escorted more willing and
enthusiastic party to Hoods top.
Although the Mount Hood Climb was
established only year ago, when il
drew to the scenic highland wilds on
the northeast side of Mount Hood
about $50 nature lovers, it bade fair
this year to grow faster than it's found
ers anticipated. Every prospect the
two weeks before the climb this year
indicated attendance of about SOC
climbers. The forest fire now burning
up Herman creek laid dense pail OF
smoke over the mid Columbia low
lands, however, and threw a >dampeI
on the enthusiasm of prospective rec
reationists. When the day finally came
for leaving for the mountain camp.
the sun of this district assembled to the
zenith of the heavens with no greater
effulgence than a winters moon in q
hazy sky, and scores who had planned
the trip changed their plans at the last
moment. 1t was remarkable that the
Legion climb of this year drew prac-
tically all of it's attendance from out.
side points. Except for the X. of p.
band and members of Company G, who
policed the camp, Hood River was rep
The local folk lay their absence the
smoke. When the final count was
made of those around the campfire il
was found that only 25l were present.
Members of Hood River Legion Post,
however, express no encouragement
over the lack of attendance, and they
will make preparations next year for 3
doubling up or maybe a quadrupling OF
the attendance of this season.
Although the task of reaching the
Legion camp and the added exertions
Of hiking up the trail to the top OF
Cooper Spur and thence ascending steI
by step over the vast snowfields to the
end of the 2,000-foot lifeline, where
the real test Of physical stamina be-
gins, the 80 men and women who sue
eessfully essayed the sport all returned
to Hood River enthusiastic. Those
VINO declined the strenuous task of q
journey to the top declared on starting
on the long motor trip back down the
length of the Hood River valley Sun
day night that they had gained pleas
ant experience that would last for a
lifetime.
To reach the snowline of the noun
tain and there at eventide to see the
marvellous changes in cOloring as the
suns rays gradually lift themselves
from the shadows Of the forest on up
beyond the last line Of brave mountain
pines, those hardy conifers that seem
to send out every root and branch in a
graphing bold on rock and sand, to re-
sist the raging storms Of wintertime,
TO behold this slow ascent Of the sun
light, while all around you is becoming
blacker shadow, is an inspiration.
And this was an experience that the
climbers were given on Saturday.
They left Hood River in a caravan Of
motar vans early Saturday morning.
IL is over 20 miles t. the end of the
mountain road. where the party lead
ers shouted. "All of for the long
hikel"
At the roads end began a trail a
miles long up a gigantic hogback be-
tween the lilly Jane creek and Sand
canyon. The trail, rough and dusty,
the crowds Of shuffiing climbers send
ing up a dust Of volcanic ash as fine ss
-four. fapped the viQor Of the hardest