SALMON INVESTIGATIONS IN COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN IN 1896. 
63 
Advantages of a trout-cultural station at Klamath Falls . — The trout of Upper 
Klamath Lake are probably not surpassed by any lake dwelling trout in America in 
beauty, size, gaminess, or sweetness and delicacy of flavor They are excellent trout 
to propagate and plant in other lakes. Trout-cultural operations could be carried on 
at some point on Upper Klamath Lake very advantageously. Perhaps the best loca- 
tion would be at Klamath Falls, where all the engineering conditions are excellent. 
Fish can be obtained readily and in abundance at any time. A station located upon 
this lake would be useful in maintaining the supply of trout in it and neighboring 
lakes and for furnishing fish for planting elsewhere in suitable lakes. The distance of 
Klamath Falls from the railroad is the chief objection to the establishment of a station 
at that place. 
CRATER LAKE, OREGON. 
In the spring of 1896 the U. S. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries received a 
request to plant trout in Crater Lake, Oregon. This request was made by citizens 
of Medford, Ashland, and Klamath Falls, and by the Mazamas, a club of mountain 
climbers with headquarters at Portland, whose members take an active and intel- 
ligent interest in discovering and making known the scenic and other natural 
attractions of the Northwestern States. Before complying with the request, the 
Commissioner decided to have made such investigations as would determine whether 
the physical and biologic conditions existing at Crater Lake are such as will permit 
fish to thrive in it. These investigations were made by Professor Evermann and Prof. 
U. O. Cox, of Mankato, Minnesota. 
Crater Lake is about 100 miles from the nearest railroad station, and is reached 
by a wagon road, which has a number of steep, rough grades. The Mazamas had 
selected this lake as the place of their annual meeting for 1896, and the Fish Com- 
mission party by their invitation made the trip to the lake with them, thus obviating 
the necessity of employing special conveyances and making the trip comparatively 
inexpensive. The party left Ashland by wagon August 13 and reached the lake on 
the morning of August 19. Work was carried on at the lake until August 24, when 
the party set out upon the return trip to Ashland, which was reached August 26. 
Crater Lake* lies in the top of Mount Mazama and on the very summit of the 
Cascade Range, about midway between Mount Shasta and Mount Hood. Its latitude 
is 42° 56' N. and its longitude is 122° V W. In many respects it is one of the most 
interesting natural wonders in America. It is approximately circular and averages a 
little more than 5 miles in diameter. It is completely encircled by a bold escarpment 
ranging from 500 to 2,000 feet in height above the surface of Hie water. Although 
the steep slopes of the escarpment are in some places well wooded, they are generally 
either cliffs or talus, descending to the lake and plunging into deep water. There are 
many places where the walls are almost perpendicular, and at only two or three places 
is it possible to descend to the water’s edge. The lake has practically no shores or 
beaches; only in a few places is there sufficient beach to afford standing room. The 
average diameter of this great pit at the top is 5.7 miles and its depth is 4,000 feet. 
The highest part of the wall surrounding this lake is 8,228 feet above sea level, while 
the surface of the lake is 6,239 feet above the sea. 
*In our general description of this Jake we have made free use of the excellent account given 
hy Mr J. S. Differ, of the U. S. Geological Survey. Mr. Differ has made a careful topographic survey 
of the region and possesses a thorough and intimate acquaintance with Crater Lake. 
