Your National Parks Part 34

[1] The paragraphs quoted are from an article by Mr. Francois E. Matthes, of the United States Geological Survey.

The ascent of the mountain should be attempted only by those who have the necessary endurance and who are able to climb in the rare air of such an alt.i.tude. Unless the tourist is hardened from recent outdoor life, he should train himself on the peaks of the Tatoosh Range, just to the south, or on the other summits that are bare of ice. Above all, no person should ever attempt the ascent unless accompanied by an experienced guide. There is no record of any person having perished when accompanied by a guide, but the mountain has taken its deadly toll from those who dared to make the trip alone.

"The guide is there not merely to show the way, but to tell the tourist how to climb, how fast to go, when to rest and to take nourishment, and to take care of him in case he is overcome with exhaustion or is taken with mountain sickness.

"Finally, account must be taken of the exceeding fickleness of the weather conditions on the mountain. Only guides familiar with Rainier's many moods can presume to foretell whether the day will turn out favorable for a climb or not. What may look to the uninitiated like harmless, fleecy vapors on the summit may be the forerunners of a sudden snowstorm which no one could hope to live through. A majority of those who have perished on the mountain have been overcome by blizzard-like storms. Such storms may occur even in midsummer, and on the summit are always attended by fierce gales against which it is impossible to hold one's footing."

The ascent is generally made from Paradise Park over the rocky ridge known as Gibraltar. Paradise Park lies near timber-line at an alt.i.tude of 5500 feet; as the alt.i.tude of the summit is 14,408 feet, the total climb is a little over 8900 feet in a distance of about 7 miles. The start is generally made about 1 o'clock in the morning in order that the return may be made before dark; it is also advisable to climb beyond the snow-fields before the surface becomes softened by the sun.

By sunrise one may expect to reach the base of the Cowlitz Cleaver at an alt.i.tude of 10,000 feet.

"The ascent of the Cowlitz Cleaver is quite taxing, being mostly over rough, angular lava blocks. By 8 o'clock, as a rule, the base of Gibraltar Rock is reached. A narrow ledge is followed along the face of the cliff, part of the way overhung by rock ma.s.ses and huge icicles, and this ledge leads to the base of a narrow chute between the ice of the upper Nisqually Glacier and the body of Gibraltar. This chute offers the most serious difficulties in the ascent. Ropes are usually suspended from the cliffs, whereby one may a.s.sist himself upward. It is wise to move one at a time, as there is ever danger of the persons above starting rock debris and ice fragments that may injure those below. The ascent and descent of the chute are therefore inevitably time-consuming. Ordinarily the saddle above Gibraltar (12,679 feet) is not reached until 10 o'clock.

"From Gibraltar on there remains only a long snow-slope to climb, but this snow-slope is often exceedingly fatiguing. Huge, gaping creva.s.ses develop in it which must be skillfully avoided by detours. Freshly fallen snow may be so deep that one plunges into it to the waist, or else the snow may have melted out into tapering spines and so-called honeycombs many feet high, among which one cannot travel without considerable exertion.

"The rim of the south crater is usually reached about 11 o'clock. It is always bare of snow, and shelter from the high gales may be found behind the great rock blocks on the crest. Metal cases are left here in which the tourist may inscribe the record of his ascent.

"The crater is always filled with snow and may be traversed without risk; only one should be careful near the edges, as the snow there is melted out in caverns by the steam jets which rise from beneath it in many places. Those having the strength may go on to Columbia Crest, the snow dome that const.i.tutes the highest summit of the mountain. The return to the camp is easily made in from five to six hours."

The climber should wear woolen underwear, flannel s.h.i.+rt, riding-breeches, leggings or puttees, woolen army socks, stout shoes well calked, a felt hat, sweater, and short warm coat. Women should by all means wear riding-breeches, as skirts or bloomers offer too great resistance to the wind. Women will generally find woolen Boy Scout stockings best adapted for a trip of this kind; leggings or puttees may be worn over them as desired. Both women and men should tie their hats firmly under the chin, in order that the tramper may not be hampered by the necessity of holding the hat if the wind is strong.

Other things needed, which may be procured at the camp in Paradise Park, are: alpenstocks, amber gla.s.ses, calks, hobnails, and actor's paint to protect the face from sun-burn.

"Before starting on the ascent, do not eat such articles as fried eggs, fried potatoes, hot cakes, or heavy pastry. Abstain from coffee and tobacco, if possible. Spirituous liquor of any kind is taboo, except as a stimulant in case of collapse. Beef tea, lean meat, all dry breakfast foods, cocoa, sweet chocolate, crackers, hardtack, dry bread, rice, raisins, prunes, dates, and tomatoes are in order. The simpler the diet, on the whole, the more beneficial it is likely to be. Never eat much at a sitting during the ascent, but eat often and little at a time. These are rules well known to mountaineers. The more faithfully one complies with them the higher one's efficiency will be and the keener the enjoyment of the trip."

Guides to the summit of Mount Rainier will be supplied at the rate of $10.00 per person in parties of not less than 5 persons, or minimum charge of $50 for each ascent. An a.s.sistant guide will accompany the party when it consists of more than 8 tourists. There is an additional charge of $2.50 per person for furnis.h.i.+ng complete suits of clothing, shoes, gla.s.ses, alpenstocks, and other necessary equipment.

Clothing and Equipment

Rough and warm clothing should be carried by all persons who expect to do much tramping. Suggestions are given elsewhere regarding clothing to be worn on a climb to the summit. The equipment here described is for the climber who travels the trails and climbs the rock ridges.

The best equipment for men consists of medium-weight woolen underwear, flannel s.h.i.+rt, woolen riding-breeches, leggings or puttees, woolen army socks, sweater, poncho, and heavy shoes; if rock-climbing is to be done, the shoes should be well supplied with hobnails. Women should wear light-weight woolen underwear, flannel middy blouse, sweater, small felt hat, woolen riding-breeches, poncho, woolen stockings, puttees or leggings, sneakers, and stout shoes with hobnails if rock-climbing is to be done. Many women object to the poncho because of the difficulty of getting it over the head; a good subst.i.tute is a Boy Scout cape. Felt hats should be worn by men and women in preference to cap, as the hat offers better protection from the rain.

A man's felt hat makes the best headgear for a woman.

Camping outfits must be obtained in Seattle or Tacoma. Provisions may be purchased at Ashford, Longmire Springs, Fairfax, Carbonado, and Enumclaw.

Fis.h.i.+ng

Cutthroat trout are the only fish caught in this Park. The fish are not large, but are fairly plentiful. Salmon eggs or angle worms are used exclusively for bait. In summer the fis.h.i.+ng is not good in the streams that flow from glaciers, as they are generally muddy at this period. A fis.h.i.+ng license is not required.

Crater Lake National Park

Location: Southwestern Oregon. Area: 249 square miles. Season: July 1 to September 30. Address of Supervisor: Crater Lake, Oregon, during season, and Medford, Oregon, during the remainder of the year.

Railroad Connections

CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK may be reached from Medford, Oregon, on the main line of the Southern Pacific Railroad between Portland and San Francisco, or from Kirk, Oregon, on a branch line of the Southern Pacific that leaves the main line at Weed, California. Crater Lake is 80 miles from Medford and 30 miles from Kirk. During the season pa.s.sengers holding through tickets over the Southern Pacific Railroad between Portland and San Francisco may stop over at Medford and resume journey at this point; southbound pa.s.sengers may stop over at Medford, cross the Park, and resume journey at Kirk; northbound pa.s.sengers may take branch line from Weed to Kirk, cross the Park, and resume journey at Medford. Pa.s.sengers desiring to make the circuit trip should notify the conductor and see that their tickets are properly endorsed.

From Kirk and Medford a tri-weekly automobile service to the Park is given by the Crater Lake Company. Pa.s.sengers stopping off on through tickets must pay for their transportation to Crater Lake in accordance with the following tariff:--

Medford to Crater Lake and return $16.50 One way (either direction) 9.00 Kirk to Crater Lake and return 6.00 One way (either direction) 3.50 Medford to Crater Lake, thence to Kirk, or _vice versa_ 11.25

Automobiles leave the Hotels Medford and Nash, Medford, at 9 A.M.

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; stop for lunch at Prospect, and reach Crater Lake in time for 6 o'clock dinner. Returning, leave Crater Lake at 9 A.M. Tuesday, Thursday, and Sat.u.r.day, reaching Medford in time to connect with the outgoing evening trains.

Automobiles leave Crater Lake for Kirk at 10 A.M. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, connecting with the local Southern Pacific train from Klamath Falls. Returning, leave Kirk at 1 P.M. the same day, and reach Crater Lake in about 2 hours.

The round-trip fare between San Francisco and Crater Lake via Kirk is $33.50, including both rail and automobile stage transportation.

Automobile Routes

Motorists southbound from Portland will traverse the Pacific Highway through Oregon City, Salem, Albany, Eugene, Roseburg, and Grant's Pa.s.s to Medford, a distance of 312 miles. From Medford the distance to Crater Lake is 80 miles. Instead of returning to Medford, the tourist may reach the Pacific Highway by way of Klamath Falls, a distance of 116 miles. From this point the Pacific Highway is again followed to San Francisco, pa.s.sing through Hornbrook, Yreka, Montague, Dunsmuir, Delta, Redding, Chico, Gridley, Marysville, Sacramento, and Stockton; distance 485 miles.

All motorists entering the Park must pay $2.00 for a round-trip permit for each automobile, or $3.00 for a season permit; motor-cyclists must pay $1.00 per machine for a season permit. The speed limits range from 10 to 20 miles an hour.

Trips

There are no regular tours in this Park; the favorite trips being tramps along the rim and to the water's edge or launch and row-boat excursions on the lake. There are a number of other points that are well worth visiting, the most important of which are listed below:--

_Distance from Anna Spring Camp (elevation 6,016 feet) to princ.i.p.al points in Park_

-------------+----------+---------+--------------+-------------------- _Distance and _Elev- direction ation _Name_ from Anna above _Best means _Remarks_ Spring sea- of reaching_ Camp_ level_ (_miles_) (_feet_) -------------+----------+---------+--------------+-------------------- Crater Lake 5 N.E 6177 Auto or wagon Beautiful scenery; good fis.h.i.+ng Wizard Island 7 N.E 6940 Auto and boat Extinct volcano; crater in summit Phantom s.h.i.+p 8 N.E 6339 Auto and boat Columns of rock 162 feet high, resembling s.h.i.+p Pinnacles 15 E .. Auto or wagon Many pinnacles; fine scenery; good camping Anna Creek 0 to 8 S.E 5000 to Auto or wagon 500 feet wide, 500 Canon 6116 feet deep; creek in bottom; good scenery Anna Creek 6 S.E 5480 Auto or wagon Waterfall, 60 feet; Falls good scenery Garden of the 1-1/2 S.E 6000 Auto or wagon Waterfall, meadows; G.o.ds creek in bottom; good scenery Union Peak 5 S.W 7698 Horseback Fine peak; good scenery Victor Rock 5 N 7200 Auto or wagon One of the best view-points of lake Watchman 9 N 8025 Wagon or Fine scenery Peak horseback Glacier Peak 10 N 8156 Wagon or Fine scenery horseback Garfield Peak 6 N.E 8060 Auto and on Fine scenery foot Scott Peak 12 N.E 8938 Horseback Highest peak in Park Dewey Falls 1-1/2 E 6000 Auto road Beautiful falls and magnificent canon of solid rock -------------+----------+---------+--------------+--------------------

The rates for the transportation that is available are given below:--

Automobile fare between Anna Spring Camp and Crater Lake Lodge:-- One way $.50 Round trip 1.00 Automobile transportation, 10 cents per mile within the Park.

Saddle-horses, pack-animals, and burros, per hour .50 Saddle-horses, pack-animals, and burros, per day 5.00 Launch trip, Wizard Island and return, per person 1.00 Launch trip around Wizard Island and Phantom s.h.i.+p and return (about 15 miles), per person 2.50 Launch trip around the lake 3.50 Rowboats, per hour .50 Rowboats, per day 2.50 Rowboat, with boat-puller, per hour 1.00 Rowboat, with detachable motor, per hour 1.00 Rowboat, with detachable motor, per day 5.00

Hotel and Camp

A hotel (Crater Lake Lodge) on the rim of the lake and a camp (Anna Spring) five miles below the rim are operated by the Crater Lake Company.

_Hotel and Camp Charges_

Crater Lake Lodge:-- Board and lodging, each person, per day (lodging in tents) $3.00 Board and lodging, each person, per week (lodging in tents) 17.50 Board and lodging, each person, per day (hotel) $3.50 and 4.00 Board and lodging, each person, per week (hotel) 20.00 and 22.50 Baths (extra) .50 Fires in rooms (extra) .25 Single meals 1.00

Anna Spring Tent Camp:-- Board and lodging, each person, per day 2.50 Board and lodging, each person, per week $15.00 Meals: Breakfast or lunch, 50 cents; dinner, 75 cents.

Fires in tents (extra) .25 Children under 12 years, half rates at lodge or camp.

Clothing and Equipment