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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (June 24, 1917)
KLICKITAT WILDS ATTRACT TOURISTS Good Highways, Good Fishing and Accommodations Are -Afforded. AUTO FERRY TOLL IS $1 Many Points - of Interest ' Along Route Are Worthy of Few Min v -utes' Stop and Afford Many ' Interesting Snapshots. )' . BT C. C. HUTCHIKS. 1 WHITE SALMON', Wash., June 23. Special.) Good highways, well signed, good accommodations 'and camping sites, good fishing streams, scenic stretches and points of Interest: these aire the lure that attracts and holds the tourist and these. Klickitat County. "Washington, on the north side of the Columbia River, opposite Hood River and The Dalles, claims to furnish. By auto from Portland this district may be reached over the Columbia 'River Highway to Hood River and via auto ferry (1 per car and four passengers) to White Salmon. From Seattle and other points via. Yakima Valley by either the Satus Creek or Mabton roads to Goldendale. The first mile and a half of the White Ealmon-Trout Lake Valley run of 25 miles, over good roads and grades, is by way of the hard-surfaced "Hood View road," which closely follows the high bluffs above the Columbia River. At Scenic Point sign post; one mile out. stop and drink in the broadest and possibly the grandest panoramic view of the Columbia River Basin; to the south one has spread before him the entire Hood River Valley and Its snow capped sentinel. Mount Hood. 11.225 feet elevation: to the west and past Mount Defiance the gaze follows for miles down the Columbia, flanked by foothills into the divide of the Cascade Range the only water level pass in this great mountain range: to the north of the river is .seen a beautiful view of the Underwood orchard homes. Almost in the immediate foreground is "The Eyrie" resort on the high bluffs above the confluence 'of the Columbia and White Salmon rivers. Continuing for some 10 miles, you travel through a rich orchard and strawberry section, with many modern bungalow homes: then a few miles of heavily timbered tretches, broken here and there by . charming vistas of the swift-running White Salmon' River in its box canyons, finally emerging into the well-famed and popular Trout Lake Valley a gem set in the mountains, with grand Mount Adams, 12,307 feet elevation, close at hand, as the masterpiece. Here will be found two pleasing resorts. While here one should visit the extensive and most Interesting lava and ice caves; have pointed out the Sleeping Beauty, which is one of the clearest and most beauti ful definitions formed by a mountain range known, and take a try at the gamy trout. Camping spots are In abundance. En route the following points of in terest will be worthy a few minutes' Stop and afford lasting souvenirs via the kodak route: Short detour at 4.0 to high dam and power plant of the North western Electric Company, furnishing light and power to Portland. As this property at present Is under strict guard, a pass from Portland headquar ters will be necessary. At 7.1 a de- touring road to the west reaches the Northwestern Lake by a half mile run. This is a famous fishing spot for the steelheads .and rainbow trout, also an ideal camping site. At 7.4, Husum, will be found fine fishing, Husum Falls, Pacific Power and Light plant and a beautifully set free auto camping ground.. At 9.4 extensive orchards of the Mordecal Jones estate, of England. At 14.1 walk down to the bridge (don't drive) and view the river box canyons. At 18.5 a short detouring road brings you again onto the main road and pro vides another glorious view of the river rushing through a deep and nar row gorge. At 17.9. on the west side of the road, a small but interesting lava cave lies but a few feet off the road. " Returning from Trout Lake, take the Tiver road back to the main White Sal mon road: this road is picked up at the 1 rout Lake postoffice corner and af fords a delightful series of pastoral and river views. The Trout Lake Val ley was settled and is still occupied by several Swiss families, atttracted by its similarity to their former moun tain homes in the land of the Alps and TIRK IS STILL (.OOn .IFTER MKI M ILKS OK ROVCiK TRAVEL I ROM FLORIDA TO MOI ST ST. HELE.S. One of the front wheels on the Mitchell car which carried Rob ert C. Bruce, head scenic direc tor of the Educational Film Corporation, of New York, on his trip from Portland to Mount St. Helens a week ago is equipped with a Firestone tire which has done 6800 miles of all manner of road between St. Augustine, Fla., and its present stopping place, yet it still contains Florida air and has not suffered either puncture or blow-out in the en tire time. While in the act of taking moving pictures here, there and everywhere on his trip across the southern border of the coun try and north to the local field. Mr. Bruce's car and its tires have been forced to submit to all sorts of treatment and to have a tre mendous load, but that one tire on the right front wheel seems to defy all handicaps. Unless It "Mows" before he leaves the Mount St. Helens country, Mr. Bruce says he intends to tap it with an ax and replace air from the extreme southeastern part of the United States with air from the northwestern section of the country. rroraing their former pursuits of dairying, stockraising and production oi nay ana grain. Free auto camps will be found at 5.3 7.1 and 16.5. Touring maps oi the district may be obtained at rooms of -the White Salmon Commercial Club, on ferry and at garages. The new system of county road and scenic point sterna will be found in place over the entire run. Cottage Grove-Drain Roads Clear COTTAGE GROVE. Or.. June 23. (Special.) The roads between here and Drain have greatly improves during the past week of sunshine. All mud . has disappeared, but the riding is ratner rougn despite the fact that most of the chuckholes have been filled I About an hour and a halt Is required .to make the trip with comfort. The roads between here and Eugene are in excellent shape and fairly smooth. Much work has been done on them this ' Spring. The 22 miles can be made in 50 minutea with comfort.- - SPIRIT LAKE COUNTRY, AT BASE OF MOUNT ST. HELENS, IS DESCRIBED AS SUMMER PLAYGROUND OF SURPASSING BEAUTY FOR THOSE WHO LOVE EXTENDED JOURNEYS Few Portland Autoists Are Aware That ' '3 tS if ' MM BY CHESTER A. MOORES. THERE Is a wondertul piajgrouna at the base of a. great mountain in the Northwest -which, by all the laws of nature and geography, belongs to Portland, yet surprisingly few Port- landers appreciate that It is easily ac- I cesaible by motor car. It is the wild, peaceful, refreshing Spirit. Lake .country at , the threshold of Mount St. Helens. 45 miles out of Castle Rock. Southern Washington. The way from Portland to this ma jestic peak, so lightly likened to a dish of ice cream, was blazed a week ago by H. S. Rodebaugh. sales man ager of the Mitchell. Lewis & Staver Company, distributors of the Mitchell car. in a new Mitchell, and by. Robert C Bruce, head' scenic director of- the Kducational Films Corporation, of New York, in his Mitchell, which has during recent months carried Mr. Bruce and his moving-picture staff along the Kastern. Southern and Western shores of the ITnited States. . . . Mr. Bruce, together with his com pany's star camera man. Jesse O. Sill, formerly of Portland, and H. G. Hum phreys, of White Salmon. Wash., are now camped at the base of Mount St. Helens for a fortnight's period, catch ing moving pictures on and about the mountain that are to .be shown ulti mately in film houses all over the country. Most Oregonians no doubt have a faint idea where Mount St. Helens .is located on the map: many, perhaps, know that it may be approached by some sort of road from Castle Rock, but probably not more than a couple or three out of every thousand realize that a good mountain road leads di rectly to the edge of Spirit Lake, which is at the very . doormat of the snow capped peak. ' Deep Snow Is Found. Mr. Rodebaugh's Mitchell was : the first car this year to make the trip from Castle Rock through Silver Lake. Toutle. St. Helens and on to the Spirit Lake country. At the upper end of the road, when within some five miles of Spirit Lake, there was plenty of deep, heavily packed snow for the powerful Mitchell to buck and there were dozens of trees, both large and small, that had fallen across the road here and there, but it would have taken . far greater handicaps than these to checkmate the two Mitchell cars and their frisky, good-natured crews a week ago. As a result the road is opened up for the season and those motorists whit enjoy camping out along roaring mountain streams populated with trout in great numbers now have the opportunity of their lives. There is nothing about the motor trip from Portland to the Mount St.. Helens iff- .' - : . - IIS - - - 2JS-vS-' ZJ iff) - THE SUNDAY This Delightful Outing Spot Is Easily Accessible by Motor Car Road by Hood Recent Trip Is Described. I III' jrr)- f -- ' -J. . wi I y - ' sr - i iii i m . ytsL M in f - ' -j 1 1 1 r c-, i s. if : 1 ''-' 1 1 -' - .".''"V :s ., H.mrv " 'yy1 si ' I &rih c7--J-r countrv that should Inspire heslta in the heart of the experienced or aver age, motorist, unless it be that at least one night must be passed in a moun tainous country that doesn't boast of a hotel or roadhouse. True, there Is some rough road, notably five miles of old-fashioned corduroy going over two sharp grades on this mountain that might prove dangerous to a nerv ous, new driver who is prone to be come rattled when' changing gears on a hill, but the -writer would like to wager a handful of sweet pickles that the road from Castle Rock to Spirit Lake 45 miles, averages up into a bet ter .proposition than the road from Gresham to Mount Hood, about a like distance. As a matter of fact the road from Castle Rock to Spirit Lake strikes the average driver .bout as pleasantly as the regular Pacific Highway from Cas tle Rock, via Kelso, Kalama. Woodland and Vancouver to Portland. And the Castle Rock-to-Portland road isn't such a bad article as some folks would have us believe. 'Trip Is Test to AntoliatK. The trip from Portland to Spirit TjIip xnd Mount St. Helens offers a great treat to the motorist who loves the open country where he can breathe a million dollars worth of pure, in vigorating air every minute, where there are plenty of friendly wild birds to keep hlm company. where the mere Fight of charging rivers, streams and creeks is enough to draw excla mations from the throat of any fisher man, and where everything in sight, is green and beautiful. Directly along the curving roadway stand immense stalks of yellow fir. of big hemlock, spruce, cedar, alder, coftonwood. There is- every variety of fern and wild flowers galore, the pre dominating blooms at this season being large trillium and wood anemone. This is the country where the boys' division of the Young Men's Christian Association of Portland hold their an nual Summer camp, under the direc tion of J. C. Meehan. Next month these boys will again go on the train to Castle Rock and there hire ajtomo biles to carry them into the broad, wild playground about Spirit Lake. Spinit Lake may be reached by au tomobile from Portland easily within a single day as was proved handily r Mr. Rodebaugh. Mr. Bruce and then Mitchells a week ago. After stopping more than an hour at Castle Rock for luncheon and to stock up with pro visions, and after tarrying here and there to stage scenes for a subsequent film portrayal to be, known as trie Cruise of the Quickern'ell." the lat ter word being the name assigned by Mr. Bruce to his Mitchell, we made tht. entire trip from Portland to the beau tiful, camping spot at Elk. Crepk. post- ,3 OREGONIAX, PORTLAND, JUNE 24,-1917. in i - jiii C v. , III - v . . Ill of ToizZIe H'z'verz on , 1 RVt , a. t on So 7 ic IT-HELENS' office between ' 8 o'clock in the morn- . Ing and the same hour In the evening.! It might be well to mention the fact that Mr. Bruce's Mitchell carried nearly 1000 pounds of luggage, including principally "grub" and camera appar atus, in addition to the bulk of Mr. Bruce, Mr. Sill, Mr. Humphreys anu j ,r- Bruce's 140-pound dog "Dane. Among the foodstuffs were a number of cans of desiccated eggs and powdered-milk, put up in New York in compact form. The honorable Mr. Hum phreys held down the tonneau with "Dane" and his brilliant yellow shirt and shining bald spot served as a continuous moving road sign for the car in the rear. The shirts of Mr. Bruce and Mr. Sill are. for that matter, by no means tame, even alongside the eloquent color which won the eye of Mr. Humphreys. Mr. Bruce chose a flaming red and Mr. Sill placed his faith in a deep green that woujd de light the eye of any Irishman. Famed though they are as moun taineers. Messrs. Bruce. Sill and Humphreys, as well as Mr. Rodebaugh failed to land any trout during a few brief trys on Toutle River. Natives In the community informed us. however, that Jdne is a trifle early for the fish to bite in the Toutle. but that - the creeks. including Alder. Houffstead. Wine. Studebaker. and Outlet, Creek now offer adequate rewards in the shape of trout. - All expert fishermen will testify that the Toutle River and Spirit . Lake., a little . later on. afford fine fishing: , Spirit Lake Beautiful. Perhaps the writer Is a bit super lative in classing the Spirit Lake country as the most beautiful ever and the roads as splendid, on the average. Weather conditions were absolutely perfect m week ago. and the weather always, of course, exerts a tremendous influence on trip Impressions. Then it Zr""" nil r - Way of Castle Rock Better Than r-y "Hlti ' r --'"' r r - jB&ow Jff.. ?t JJe2ens Wsi&r? 4SI ' PIR1T LAKE ' T.5T. HELENS again the Mitchell car Is rightly fa.med for springs that let the tonneau pas sengers down gradually and easily even over fairly rough sections of road, and springs also can "make" or "break" a disposition that Is perfectly good under normal circumstances. Still, again, Mr. Rodebauph is one of the cleverest drivers in the business out this way. But be weather and springs and drivers as they may. the motor trip over the 64 miles of Pacific Highway to Castle Rock and over the 45 miles of pretty road winding on to Spirit Lake is certain to fascinate persons of all dispositions at all seasons that the -road is passable and in cars fax less luxurious and less cleanly handled than the sleek Mitchell. For the reason that the - Pacific Highway from Portland, via. Vancouver, La Center. Woodland, Kalama: and Kelso to Castle . Rock Ib well known, and well marked it will not be -neoes- sary to detail that leg of the trip. It would, however, take a mighty good detective to pick the correct roads to be followed at unmarked junctures "in the trip from Castle Rock .to Spirit Lake, and for that reason the follow ing, log,- with brief notations. Is given for the guidance of motorists. Miles. Places. 0.0 Castle Rock: proceed north over Pacific Hlrhway out of town. 0.8 Keep to riffht Instead of. dropping- down to railroad track. ' Road fine; pretty ptretch throush wooded trmct. Take rtg-ht fork: some good road, some smooth .plank. Take right fork: road still Rood with more plank. Silver Iaka. located on rim of Sil ver Lake; more ftood plank. End of plank after croaalna: bridva. Take rifrht fork. Take left - fork where there is bis tree 2.0 5.3 8.9 O.O OS 10.7 in roan: fine road. . . 11.3 Keep straight ahead. 12. a Trlve alona- aouth fork of Toutle River. 13.0 TaJta lalt fork over brldra. r . . jKJo KELSO f - "T nlit Jf VANCOUVER "CS Highway From Gresham to Mount i,1 f,V v 1 1 "Camjo" MJtcZe. Woocfj JVerar Base oi Toutle poBtofflce: cood for abort dls lance, then roush corduroy through nretty wood. Take left fork where sign aaya 31 mllea to Hplrlt Lake: fine gravel road for hnrt rilatanre. then rough corduroy. Take right fork at tree; rough road that la muddy during ralna. Take right fork: rough, was muddy week ago. This la at baae of hill known aa Green Mountain. Keep direct road, avoiding right fork: corduroy: atirr cIlmD. Pretty view at right through treea. Kummlt of hill at red brick achool house. There la nearly a solid stretch of corduroy for about five milea going over the mountains. Reach banks of north fork of Toutle River. , Beautiful creek, soon after which take left fork where aign reada milea 10 Hplrit Lake. Croasnort h fork Toutle Rlvar. 24.S 2.1.0 Take right fork, following telephone wires. St. Helens postoffice above road left: ket-o to right, coming soon Houffstead Creek: most beautiful camolng atnt along entire road: hunt Ing and fishing good: sign says 21 milea to Spirit Lake. Arrived at Elk Creek postoffice. the deaerted homestead cabin of J. M Gould, situated delightfully between Toutle River and Elk Creek, which cornea out of Elk Prairie, in Columbia National Foreat, three milea away. Sign at aide of mail points to branch trail leading to Starkney. Flrat aign of snow along road a week ago. Flrat mow on road a week ago. First big tree obstructing rnad a week ago: this and doaena of othera ahead 3T.3 .in. 3 88.3 wero cut down by Mltchell-rtruce-Ore-gonian crew, leaving rnad open. 40.S Snow drlfta that were next to imp ble a week ago. 4X.0 Edge of Spirit Lake. PA MOl'S LOOP ROAD FROM PORT LAND TO TWO REACHES A X D RETl'RX. WHICH 1 AfitlX OPK TO MOTOR TRAVEL. Map BBOwlag Bota Islssal sad Uwer ( olaanbtat River Highway Routes From Portlaad to Aatorla. the Road Alomar the Caaat to Tillamook ssd RctflrB tat Portlaad Via MeMlaavllle. A"? j r r 74rs ( f"' Jfr Kf""" Jf X v J"" '""'of- v I 1 ArOOM JT X J '' J f r"i ry ' I BEACH LOOP TRIP OPEN TO TOURISTS Roads for Entire Distar.ca Are Found to Be in Good Condition. TRIP TO BECOME POPULAR Route From Portland to Astoria . and Seaside, Thence to Tilla- nook and Rack by Way of McMlnnrllle, Described. Good news for the motorist! The famous beach loop trip from Portland to Astoria and Seaside, dowel the coast to the Tillamook resorts n4 the return by way of McMinnville Is now open to automobile travel and will remain so for the remainder -of the season, barring heavy raina. The course of the entire loop, which. Is to be followed by the Portland au tomoblle dealers on their annual "honht honk" tour next month, was driven a. week age by Charles M. Menzies. sales manager of the Northwest Auto Com pany, In a Cole Eight. The party in cluded Mrs. Menzies. Donald Menzies. Harry G. Lytle, of the Northwest Auto Company, who handled the wheel for part of the distance: Miss Edith Petty- grew and Joe H. Jordan, a local news paperman. Roads Arotaad Loop Fine. Mr. Menzies reported upon his re- urn that the roads around the loop were in fine shape lor tne entire dis tance and that he didn't encounter any mud or bad roads. He made the run from Portland to Astoria by way of he Nehalem Valley, or inland route. about six and one-half hours, and the run from Seaside along the new road to Neah-Kah-Nie Tavern, near Nehalem. in Tillamook County, in less than two and a half hours. The road from Neah-Kah-Nie via Bay City and Tillamook City to Portland are said to be in elegant shape for a great share of the distance. Mr. Menzies says there is great activity in road building in Tillamook and Clatsop counties and that the roads along the loop should be in splendid condition at the time the motorcar dealers stage their run July 14. 15 and 16. Mr. Menxies and his party spent three days for the entire trip, stopping nights at Astoria and at Neah-Kah- Nie. On leaving Portland by way of the Cornell road we found the highway in fair shape to Hillsboro and Forest Grove." related Mr. Menzies upon his return to Portland. "From Forest Grove to Timber, a point high in the mountains, the roads were good. W ith the exception of about two miles of rough, but passable road, the going was also good on from Timber to er- nonia. A considerable amount of new plank has been placed on the road between Vernonla and Astoria, in addition to the 11 miles of smooth plank between Mist and Jewell, and the road authori ties In this section are entitled to a great deal of credit. The road from Astoria to Seaside is paved. w Road Follows River. The new road leading from Seaside to the Tillamook country follows the Necunicum Kiver. It is a new clay road and was slightly rough last Sunday. but will pe passable so long as it is dry. At Nehalem we branched off the main highway and drove the tnree miles over to S. G. Reed's famous sea shore resort at the base of Neah-Kah-Nie Mountain. Next morning we doubled back across the Nehalem River bridge and ran over fine roads to Tillamook City and from there branched off toward home again. A wonderful improvement has been effected in the new road over the mountains from Tillamook City to Grand Ronde. The former climb from Hebo to Dolph and the hills on either side of the old toll gate have been eliminated by a cutoff known as the Sour Grass road. "This new road, which is of macad am surface, with no grade exceeding six per cent, not only does away with the necessity of paying toll, but short ens the trips by about eight miles. Al most all of the road from Tillamook to Grand Rondr was fine a week ago and should remain so the balance of the season. "From Grand Ronde to Willamina some of the road was rather rough, but not bothersome, and from Willa mina to Newberg good. On the way through Rex and Tigard from New berg to Portland there are some rough spots, as most Portland motorists know. This stretch' is perhaps en titled to rank as the worst road we found on the entire loop of more than 300 miles. The new road from Astoria to Tillamook, via Bay City. Is 75.3 miles in length." ROADS ARE FOUND GOOD TRIP TO WILHOIT SPRINGS IS DE CLARED DELIGHTFIL Route Through Oregon City and Molnlla and Back by Wood bum Described by J. Fred Staver. The roads leading from Portland through Oregon City and Molalla to Wilhoit Springs and the Scott's Mills country are in splendid condition, ac cording to a Portland motorist. J. Fred Staver. a realty broker, who made the trip last Sunday on his weekly explo ration over some new bit of rural road. Incidentally, Mr. Staver observed that speed "cops" were as thick as bees on the highways of Clackamas County. None of the officers caught his Chevro let in the act of breaking the laws of the road, but he witnessed a number of arrests by the roadside. "In going to Oregon City I prefer the route through Sellwood and Mil waukie." said Mr. Staver last week in reporting his trip. "From Oregon City I went straight out the Molalla road, finding the roads for the most part to be in fine shape. The last five miles running into Wilhoit Springs were wonderfully good, as were the roads leading on to Scott's Mills. Mount Angel and Woodburn. except for a few short stretches Just beyond WilhoiL "The trip leads through the moun- tains and affords many ranch and for est scenes. I found the regular Paclflo Highway route from Woodburn down to Portland to be In good shape. In fact. Uie entire loop of about 100 miles was delightful." Gasoline Economy Reported. Percy K. Taber. Winters. Cal.. claims an economy record. On seven gallons of gasoline, averaging 29 4-10 miles per gallon. Taber drove a new Chevrolet "Four-Ninety" model touring car from Winters to Stockton and re turn. The distance is 207 miles, and on the entire run less than one quart of oil was used. 4 4