96 EXPLORATIONS ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN OF UTAH. 



ing along tn*e foot of the Sierra Nevada, on its east side, from 18 to 20 miles, before 

 turning to the west to cross the range. Find the trail up to Daggett Pass quite steep. 

 It runs along the side-hill, and at times is dangerous. It is possible, however, that a 

 better grade might be got along the ravine for a road. In about 3.5 miles from foot 



to the northwest of us could be seen Lake Bigler, beautifully embosomed in the Sierra.* 

 Descending by a tolerable grade, 2.5 miles farther brought us to Lake Valley, lying 



its length about 12.5 miles southwardly to nmil-siaHom which 've'reach at halt>sl 1, 



The ride this morning the most charming I have had for a long while. Lake 

 Valley is like a beautiful park, studded with large, stately pines. The glades between 



)f 10 feet 



cascade, a 



Norwegian, who car- 

 ut the middle of last 

 i, in places where he 

 told me that in the 

 ligh as the top of the window (pointing 

 to it), that is about 8 feet. This between the two ranges in Lake Valley. Thomp- 

 son says that the first wagon went over the road across the mountains about 20th of 

 May, the snow preventing it before. 



ascending, by a side cut, the west range of the Sierra Nevada, and directly under the 

 spray of the falling cataract mentioned before, which comes down from a hei'ght of 

 several hundred feet, and rushes directly over the road. In about 2 miles from foot 

 attain summit of range, or Johnston's Pass (altitude above the sea, 7,222 feet). Grade 



ment of a road which the people of El Dorado and Sacramento Counties, of c'alif.a-i'iia" 

 at the expense of some *5O,000, have made from Lake Vallev across the west ran^e 

 of the Sierra Nevada; and quite well has the work been laid out and executed. I am 

 told the superintending engineer was Mr. Sherman Day, of San Jose, Cal., who bears 

 the reputation of being quite accomplished in his profession. 



As soon as we attained the summit of the range, Mr. Thompson took us to a point 

 where we obtained a fine view of Lake Bigler. After reaching summit, soon find 



un frequently as 





ch a 



s S feet, and 1 



hey s, 



►metimes atta 



Just before we 





•lied 



the mail-statii 





ticed a splen 



tributary of the 



Tn 



icke< 



', tumbling into 



> the v 



alley from tl 



valley a large h 

 more sleek, sain 



erd , 

 •y-h 



►okin 



J^^j 



all loo 



king finely. 



At the mail 



1-sta: 



tion ; 



met Mr. T. A.' 



Lhonq: 



ison, the cele 



ried the mail a 



cros 



s the 



Sierra Nevad; 





row-shoes, fr 



April to fore p S 



irt o 



f M; 



iv. Herepres 



ents th 



e snow to ha 



had to go, 10 fe 





eep. 



' One of the 1 



lands 



at the mail-g 



spring the sno 





t on 



e time was a 



s high 



as the top 



