GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE REGIONS EXAMINED. 31 



3. Neio pass south of Mount Hood. — This pass was discovered by the detached party in my 

 charge. As I believe it to be more favorable for a wagon road than any of those previously 

 known, I shall describe with considerable minuteness, both the pass proper, through the main 

 ridge, and the approaches to it from the east and the west. This division is adopted simply for 

 ease of description. By far the greatest difficulty in the passage of the range was encountered 

 in the western approach to the pass. 



About 20 miles south of Mount Hood there are two prominent peaks, called Nu-ah-hum by the 

 Indians. At their northern base a remarkable depression is found in the main ridge. Near 

 the western part of it there are two small lakes called Ty-ty-pa and Wat-tura-pa. The latter 

 is the source of a branch of Tysch creek, which flows towards the east through the depression. 

 From the point where we first struck this stream, to the lake, the hills slope gradually towards 

 its bed, and there is no obstacle to the construction of an excellent wagon road, except the fallen 

 timber. Between the two lakes there was a low hill, which could probably be avoided by 

 following the course of a little tributary of Wat-tum-pa. West of Ty-ty-pa there was a steep 

 rise of about 400 feet, conducting to the summit of the main ridge. I think this could be turned 

 by keeping more to the north, but, at any rate, the ascent might be made very gradual by side 

 location. The descent, of about 200 feet, into a great ravine, which borders the main ridge on 

 the west, might be made without much difficulty. Through this entire pass, a distance of about 

 13 miles, a good road, almost free from hills, might be constructed by a little side cutting and 

 the removal of a large quantity of fallen timber. 



The eastern approach to this depression by my trail is excellent, and would require no labor 

 of any kind, except a little side cutting and removal of logs in a place about 3 miles in length, 

 between Wan-nas-see creek and Camp 58 A. There is not a single bad hill between Nee-nee 

 springs and the entrance to the pass, a distance of about 24 miles. The distance from Nee-nee 

 springs to Evelyn's rancho, on Tysch creek, which is the most southern settlement in Des Chutes 

 valley, is about 19 miles ; and a good road between them might be made with very little labor. 

 It would cross the Mutton mountains by an open ravine, which one fork of the Indian trail now 

 follows. This route, however, from the eastern entrance of the pass to the settlements, is very 

 circuitous, and it is probable that a much shorter one might be found, either by following the 

 branch of Tysch creek, flowing from Wat-tum-pa lake, or by taking an Indian trail which 

 joined ours on Wan-nas-see creek, and which our guide said was very good. A similar descrip- 

 tion of it was also given to me by a half-breed, and its position, as indicated by him, is shown 

 on the accompanying map. The almost inexhaustible supply of bunch grass near Nee-nee 

 springs may, however, render the more circuitous route preferable. 



The western approach to this pass is far less favorable than the eastern. An abrupt slope, 

 furrowed by numerous canons utterly impassable on account of fallen timber, conducts to the 

 Willamette valley. To avoid the logs, we found it necessary to follow the dividing ridge 

 between Clackamas and Sandy rivers, a route which is hardly practicable even for a pack train. 

 From the source of Clackamas river, however, I could look down its ravine for more than 20 

 miles, and see the hills of the Willamette valley in the distance. The ravine appeared to be 

 wide, straight, and free from lateral spurs ; and I believe that a good road could be made in it 

 by cutting through the logs. Near its head, it is connected with the great ravine bordering the 

 main ridge, by a lateral canon, into which we descended, and by which it is thought the road 

 might reach the main ridge, in about 35 miles from Clackamas prairie, without encountering 



