Show EXTINCT MOUNT MAZAMA OREGON GREATEST VOLCANO written for the mining review not long ago I 1 gazed with awe into the silent depths of beautiful crater lake the matchless sheet of blue that rests serene in what was in ages past the belching cauldron cauldren caul dron of the greatest volcano of the new continent crater lake and its surrounding wonders of snow capped mountain peaks lofty crags and beds of lava and pumice is now a part of the recently established crater lake national park the altitude of the park varies from to feet and lies directly on the backbone of the cascade range three days travel by wagon from the railroad that the old volcano in whose cooled crater crater lake now rests had much to do with the mineral formation of southern oregon goes without question the entire 41 t LOOKING OUT OVER CRATER LAKE country and range surrounding it is a product of volcanic action as can be seen by the evidences left while mcloughlin thielson and union peak all of this region appear to have been volcanoes of greater or less prominence and violence the most prominent and most violent was old mazama according to the story of geologists mazama was at one time the greatest peak of all the great peaks of the now new world regularly it belched forth its fire lava and ashes upon the surrounding country and like a spendthrift wasted its energies in its own wild asies at last the entire top of the mountain blew off and the great volcano but the base which forms the rim of crater lake out two and a half miles from the western shore is cone shaped wizard island standing feet above the level of the water this was the last smoking chimney of old mazama but how the cooled crater was filled with water or at least to a depth of from 1000 to 2500 feet with no outlet no inlet and remains so year after year is a mystery none can solve the shores of the lake are sheer preci apices rising from 1000 to 2000 feet above the water many of these being snow capped mountain peaks with an altitude of and feet at only one point can the water of crater lake be reached this by a narrow trail cut in the rock at the western shore I 1 took that trail and clambered down its winds about across canyons and around projecting points of rock on arriving at the waters edge I 1 found no beach no beach anywhere just sheer walls for shores that go down down into the bottomless depths I 1 sipped the water and found it cold and pure and sweet and sitting down was fanned by the cool breeze that gently blows across the lake keeping the little waves ever splashing splashing against the rocks aside from this there are no other sounds A sabbath like stillness holds the great solitude tude in obeisance so go intense it touches ones soul with awe black hemlock forests skirt the lake and even fight for a footing on the very walls of the cauldron cauldren caul dron there is snow in abundance everywhere throughout the summer ind nd in the fat goil ecil near the melting snowbanks violets verbenas verbenah ver benas and columbines peep their smiling faces up lip to greet the sunlight during the hot days or of mid august the cool forests the blooming fields and grassy meadows of crater lake park afford a camping placa unequaled among all the ideal mountain regions of the west thou though tho the patient work of aked agea has healed the scars of old madamas Ma rioting there yet remains an abundance of volcanic debris about the lake the prevailing character of livas found are scoria and pumice point one of the promontories of the rim beng being a mountain of pumice and stretching away from the rim are vast fields of light porous products a great portion of which is pumice DENNIS H STOVALL grants pass oregon |