The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1922-05-04
WATERSHED RESERVE
BLOCKS DEVELOPMENT

Telegram)
All Oregonians "know" Noun
Hood, but let stranger ask the way
to it, the accommodations afforded anC
the various things to do and see OF
arrival, and the resulting answers
leave anything but pleasant impres.
sion on the visitor. 1t is true thai
even the members of our two most
prominent and active mountaineering
clubs know little of Mount Hood, out
side of the beaten track across the
summit from Government Camp, or
the south. to Cloud Cap Inn on the
north side. There il reason for this
and it is one that the public should
understand.
Some time ago was asked by G. G.
Joyce to attend meeting of city Off
cials, county officers. forest service
men, hotelkeepers, tourist bureau
members, publishers and bankers. The
| question before the meeting was the
Mount Hood problem: Why is the
Mount Hood not as popular with the
tourist as Mount Rainier?"
| There were so many amateur humor-
lists and glib takers among the poll
ticians present. that the few men who
had given any thought to the subject
or knew the conditions were showed in
under the drift of oratory, and the
chairman was only able to save the
dignity of the affair by appointing a
committee, which is now at work on
the problem.
/ may now say that it is one thing
| to get the tourists to the mountain.
but it is something else to keep them
there and to keep them amused. 1t
does not require golf courses, but it
requires much more than We now offer
him.
When "a tourist arrives at Mount
Rainier, there is plenty for him to see
and do outside the strenuous climb of
the mountain, which | venture to say
is not undertaken by one per cent of
the visitors. From Paradise park
trails run in all directions and around
the mountain, and if he is not able to
make it on his own feet, he can use
the four capable ones of horse.
Let him 60 to Mount Hood, and on
the north side, beside the climb, at
tractive to the same small percentage,
he can ramble up to Cooper spur, to
Black butte, and he has exhausted the
place. On the south side he is in
worse case. If he is woods wise and
capable, he can find Paradise park, a
place that rivals Rainier's boast, but
he must provide his own commissary
and transport; but he usually arrives,
climbs and leaves Immediately. No
hotel or resort can grow or improve
with such patronage and a short
season.
The Portland water bureau stopped
the construction of the Lolo Pass road
by the United States forestry service.
Remember that not drop of water on
the proposed drainage area could enter
the Bull Run water system unless it
was pumped up over a mountain range
In addition remember that in summer
the waters of the Upper Sandy are
almost undrinkable on account Of the
glacial silt. 1t is hard to conceive
why this part Of the country is in the
reserve.
A road could be built into Paradise
park (the name of which should be
changed immediately which is iden-
tically the wild lowered, watered.
mountain overhung counterpart of
Rainier, but which today is absolutely
inaccessible except to those on foot or
horseback, who are able to feed and |
shelter themselves while on their visit. |
We who have gazed longingly over |
the unexplored west and north sides, |
noted the contours of the land, and |
listened TO the old timers stories, now |
that the greatest tourist attractions |
and the best views are there and in /
the Elk Meadows on the east. Elk /
Meadows will be shortly accessible, |
as the loop road now under construc-
tion runs just east Of it.
Until we can take a tourist from /
either Government Camp or Cloud Cap 4
Inn to Paradise Park. to the glaciers,
around the mountain. with side trips /
to ehalets at Lost Lake and Elk 4
Meadows, Mount Hood will never be
popular with the average tourist. the
hotels will never be able to finance
their needs.
Such a system Of roads and trails
and interchangeable hotel facilities
would give National Park facilities
without many Of their restrictions.
have stood at Government Camp
when the stage came in and watched
the tourists alight. They think that
they are actually going to Mount
Hood. and they were disappointed TO
find the only way Of approaching il
was on foot. Wishing to see some Of
The glaciers anyway, another climb
was indicated. Some stayed over
night, some went back with the stage.
Tourists have generally only limited
time, and also limited money in most
,sses, sometimes the savings Of years
IRE spent on an oft dreamed Of trip.
The educational value Of such a trip is
unreasonable, but in the case Of our
many 60 away with sense
If having been cheated.