Text of other pages in this issue: 1 2 3 4
PAGE 2 THE OBSIDIAN
1952 SUMMER CAMP (Continued)
up to be led by Ray Sims and Gene Sebring. Starting at 7 a.m., the high Mazama Ridge was crossed and the party dropped down on the lee Lake side to skirt the ridge and many snowfields to the foot of the "white marble Matterhorn". The 10,004 foot summit was reached at 2:00 p.m. and the party signed the new Mazama book which had been placed there last year. Not content with that height, Mike, Gene, Dale, Henry, Lloyd and Luhr went on to the top of Sacajawea - 10,033 feet, the highest point in the whole Wallowa Mountains.
Saturday came all too soon as fifteen had to leave the beautiful surroundings that had been home. Nature wept with them and pelted them the long trail out with a veritable cloudburst of rain and hail. The little mountain streams which are clear pools of beauty on a summer day, swelled to young rivers - turbulent and muddy, and the forlorn travellers soon gave up trying to find solid footing and ploughed through, over their knees often in rough,muddy water. But the sun was out again at Joseph; so they re-outfitted themselves (ask John Williamson!) and left regretfully.
Sunday, Mike and Lloyd left to explore another region and to send in to the rest of us some supplies by the packer who was to take out the available bags. We were not sure that Mike was going until the groceries were accompanied by his note:
Roses are red, and violets are blue Lloyd's going to Glacier, and I am too!
Monday, Gene, Bob, Dale and Henry made a trip over the ridge to beautiful Ice Lake and such glowing reports were brought back that Anna and Catherine made the trip later.
Tuesday, will Helen Smith as leader, all sixteen left in camp made the trip to Hurricane Canyon where the trail drops sharply to broad meadows and a cold, rushing creek. The trip ended at the foot of the Matterhorn at an old miner's cabin. That night at campfire, it was suggested that we break camp on Friday and have a leisurely drive home.
The fishing was wonderful, and altogether some 210 fish were caught, some from our new new seven - or eight - or ten - man rubber boat, and some by the expert spinning reels, and many, of course by the lures of Luhr! - Jensen, whom we were fortunate to have with us. The just-plain-boating, especially in the evening, with songs coming in off the water from that speck of yellow, were enjoyed by everyone.
The campfires filled every evening, and were sparked by Ray Cavagnaro, the Baileys, Larry and John, who, with his uke, led us all in group singing. The picture-taking was ideal everywhere, and the trips to Unit Lake, Razz Iake, high on the ridge, Pocket Lake - where Luhr and Glen brought back thirty-seven trout in just a couple hours, made all the tales you hear about the Wallowa Mountains seem more like fairy-tales than ever. Several evenings, beautiful thunder clouds rolled up over the high mountains, and lightning cracked and thunder rolled; but the next morning, sun and serenity prevailed.
The new trails we walked will not be forgotten nor will the "blasts" down the trail each morning. On the last day, the report was so sharp that "if my tent had had windows there would be no windows to open" after that one! But they cleared the way for wonderful trails, and as we hiked out - down - down the trail to Wallowa Lake again and the smell of gasoline and the lovely cars that you could just sit in, we look back already to another grand Obsidian summer camp in another of Oregon's fine vacationlands.
(Sketches by Myrtle Smith) R.S.
HISTORIC SCOTT TRAIL
(From Page 1)
This section is a continuation of the familiar Scott Trail which leads from Eastern Oregon, converges with Skyline Trail as the two pass over the summit, (about 3 miles south of Dee Wright Observatory); crosses the McKenzie Highway just above Frog Camp, then comes in to Scott Lake.
(Continued Page 3)
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28 Aug 2009
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