Page:The Tourist's California by Wood, Ruth Kedzie.djvu/202

 166 THE TOURIST'S CALIFORNIA trail of the Sacramento. It is the spending centre for the rich copper and gold-mining territory of Shasta County. A new highway goes west from here through Weaverville and the mining villages of the Trinity Mountains to Eureka. The gorge of the Sacramento narrows and deep- ens, the line crosses perilous trestles and crawls along the ledges of the stubborn Siskiyous, con- quered at last by man's skill. It is like getting into the sane, brisk woods of Maine to reach this north country, steep and dark with hardy trees. The pinnacled cliffs of Castle Rock, the pine- belted spires of the Crags catch the sunlight far above us. The Sacramento is a cord of silver in its rocky bed. Beyond, Shasta, the stainless, the lofty, barely draws aside her wooded skirts for us to pass. Dunsmuir, Upper Soda Springs, Shasta Retreat, each have their patrons among those who love for- ests more than cities, and the flash of scales and fighting fins beyond a city's dissipations. At Shasta Springs, passengers are granted ten minutes' recess to breathe the air's cool fragrance, to listen to symphonic waters, singing through ra- vines, booming in far-off gullies, quavering in riv- way of Red Bluff. Stage to Mineral, 45 miles. Camp at Mineral. Thence by horseback to Camp Rutherford, a day's journey. From here many trails lead to mountain lakes and geysers. Camp Rutherford to base Mt. Lassen (8,000 ft.), one day. Go on foot to top (10,750 ft.).