The Pacific tourist (1876) (14758660514)

Identifier: pacifictourist1876will (find matches)
Title: The Pacific tourist
Year: 1876 (1870s)
Authors: Williams, Henry T Shearer, Frederick E
Subjects: Union Pacific Railroad Company Central Pacific Railroad Company Railroad travel Railroad travel Railroad travel
Publisher: New York : H.T. Williams
Contributing Library: San Francisco Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: San Francisco Public Library



Text Appearing Before Image:
,and is one of the most popular in the Sierras. One who lets the train go by, to climb tothe top of the ridge through which the tunnelleads, or some higher peak, will never be sorry,for an enchanting panorama will be unrolled. Summit Valley, with its bright pastures, andwarm with life, while it touches bleak rocks, andreceives the shade of the inhospitable pine orthe drip of the snow—one of the loveliest val-leys at such an altitude—lies toward the settingsun. In the rim that shuts out the south-westwind, towers the Devils Peak, a bold cliff risingfrom out of wild surroundings; and followingthe ridge eastward with the eye, and aroundtoward the point of vision, there are prominent.Old Mans Peak, just across the valley, sharp-ened by the wintry storms of his long life, andon the main ridge. Mount Lincoln, 9,200 feet high,and Donner Peak, 2,000 feet above the railroad,and 3,200 above the lake that sleeps in quietbeauty at its base; and across the railroad wmm ^m€iFi€ w^wmibw. 229
Text Appearing After Image:
the peak from which Bierstadt sketched the Gem beneath. Then there are a thousandother charms in the vast heights above, andvast depths below, in contrasts of light andshade, form and color, mists hanging over thelake, and clouds clinging to the peaks in thetwilight deepening into darkness, or in colossalpyres, kindled by the coming sun, and going inthe clear light of the day; or the gloom of theforest mingled with the living silver of the moon-lit lake. The peaksmay be ascend-ed—-some withdifficulty, andsome with mod-erate exertion—but persons offeeble constitu-tion may enjoyall the variedcharms. The lake is ofeasy access, andhas on its banksa hotel for tour-ists. The dis-tance to the lakeby the carriageroad is 2 1-2miles, andTruckee 9 miles.The summit di-vides the watersthat flow eastand sink amiddesert sands,from those thatflow west intothe Sacramentoriver. S u m m i tValley,—2 1-2miles long andone mile wide,heads in thehigh peaks,south of the hotel. It has pasturage during t