Historic Hood River
Summit Traffic Jam, 1930
7-26-2012
Notes
Here we are at the summit with the American Legion Mt. Hood climb of 1930. A count of the alpenstocks would tell us how many climbers are in this shot– anyone? Note the many checkered shirts of the Crag Rats in the crowd.
Two questions: how did they keep track of their alpenstocks, and how long was the wait to use the outhouse?
charlott
Personally I don’t see any checkered shirts. I don’t think the Crag Rats were involved at this time as they were just getting organized. Ofcourse, I have been wrong before.
There is a possibility that the alpenstocks were supplied by the American Legion so it wouldn’t have been a concern as to which one belonged to which person.
this is one of the best photos I have ever seen of the look out, as most of the later ones show how time and elements took its toll on the structure.
If anyone is interested in seeing what the actual look out portion of it looked like, they have a wonderful mock up of it over in Gov’t Camp and the museum.
An interesting note : In this time frame the man who manned the look-out had hot tea brewing and one could go purchase a cup. My aunt mentioned it in her diary of her first climb of Hood in 1929 when she was 19 years old.
charlott
I stand corrected. Crag Rats were organized in 1926, so they could have been guiding by then. I still don’t see any definite black and white checkered shirts. Must have better eyes than I do.
Arthur
It guess it’s not so obvious at this resolution, but about half of the climbers are in checkered shirts.
Arlen Sheldrake
Two questions: 1) what does the sign over the door say? 2) is the building on the left the outhouse?
That building must have been built pretty stout….and packing that lumber up the mountain must have been a bit of a chore.
charlott
Arlen a man by the name of Elijah "Lige" Coleman built that lookout and manned it initially. He was what one might have called a "true mountain man." He carried all the lumber and supplies himself up to build the lookout. He also strung a telephone wire from there down to Gov’t Camp, so he could phone down any forest fire that he saw.
To show you how he could perform on that mountain, he once took a man, after having breakfast up the south side of the mountain. From the top they climbed down the north side (Hood River side), then back up to the summit and back to Government Camp…..all in one day.
That must have been the "necessary" out there on the top of the peak.
Scott Cook
Once again, a brilliant photo! Thanks Arthur!!
db
I can make out two or three checkered shirts in the middle of the pack.
Jill Stanford
Were people just hardier then? That’s quite a story about Lige Coleman — all of them — and this is quite a picture of people with no spandex and other ‘modern’ equipment up there on top of Mt Hood and there is a sturdy lookout where you could get a cup of tea and a ‘necessary stop’ too! Amazing!
I am enjoyed my daily dose of "old" Hood River and Surroundings so much!
nels
I count 8, leaving out the ‘maybes’.
Arthur
The sign says "Mt. Hood/ Lookout Station/ Elevation 11225 feet"