WESTERN SLOPE OF THE SIERRA NEVADA. 
51 
the point already designated, where the valley of the stream is on a level with the approach 
to it. Immediately west of this creek a spur from Mount Saint Joseph—which stands hut a 
few miles to the south of this pass—extends a short distance into Canoe Creek valley; and 
is followed to the west by the narrow valley of Wolf creek, immediately beyond which the most 
western ridge of the Sierra Nevada rises. The spur between the streams is heavily timbered, 
but more or less rocky, and falls off rapidly to the north, affording the means of passing it 
by almost any desired line. It is, however, more or less broken by small ravines of an ordinary 
character. The valley, or ravine, of Wolf creek is narrow and deep, but can be readily passed 
by ascending its eastern side nearly to its head, and crossing a deep, dry ravine on the spur, and 
following it until reaching the creek, whence the road should be carried immediately along the 
side of the rocky, timbered ridge to the west, to the western crest of the Sierra Nevada. The 
average grades bj r this line from Hat creek, are, for 2.75 miles, 45.10 feet per mile; and 154.4 
feet per mile for 0.50 mile; and 21.30 feet per mile for 1.50 miles, to Wolf creek; with an 
ascending grade of 45.50 feet per mile for two miles thence to the western summit of the pass. 
The side of the mountain, from Wolf creek to this summit, is broken by two or three large 
ravines, and, besides being covered with surface-rocks, large ledges crop out at various points 
upon it. The summit depression of the pass itself is three-fourths of a mile broad towards the 
east, and very soon expands to two miles—a high, round peak, destitute of timber, rising to the 
north to the height of 300 feet; and, to the south and east, steep, rocky peaks and masses 
rise towards Mount Saint Joseph, (sometimes called Lassen’s Peak,) which is three or four 
miles distant, and covered with snow from its summit downwards for a thousand feet. We 
encamped on Wolf creek, two miles east of the summit. Day’s march, 20.34 miles. 
July 11.—We returned to the summit of the pass, which is covered with immense heaps of 
broken stones, covering miles of surface, like rubbish from a quarry, but so level that water 
stands upon it in various places for half a mile, and it is lightly timbered. Its approximate 
altitude is 6,074 feet above the sea. The descent from it to the valley of the Sacramento is 
unobstructed, and, unfortunately, very direct. For five miles from the summit about half of 
the descending plain or broad ridge is timbered, and the open portion covered with a dense 
thicket of mansanita bushes. Unfortunately for us, on both occasions on which we passed 
this summit, (we repassed here on the 25th of July,) the view of the mountains for any consid¬ 
erable distance below us was obscured by a smoky atmosphere, and the valley of the Sacra¬ 
mento entirely invisible from the dark cloud of smoke which hung over it, over which, however, 
as over a blue sea, peaks of the Coast range were occasionally visible. The plain of descent 
widened rapidly at first, as we descended, and four miles from the summit we judged it to be 
four miles in width, limited on the south by the deep ravine of Battle creek, (descending from 
Mount Saint Joseph,) which, however, soon runs out into the general level of the descent, and 
broken on the north by a formidable dry ravine commencing near the foot of the rubbish heaps 
at the summit, and extending several miles, and numerously intersected by ordinary ravines. 
Coming upon Battle creek, the road descends it for a short distance, and crosses it where it 
bends to the northwest, the road continuing its direct course, and entering a dense forest of 
pine, cedar and redwood. The mountain continued to fall off rapidly, and we made short, 
steep descents for a few hundred yards at a time, as from successive terraces. But after crossing 
the creek there is a deep ravine seen 3.50 miles to the southwest of the road, and nearly paral¬ 
lel with it, marking the southern slopes of the level intervening space between Battle creek and 
one of its tributaries, which descends from the south side of Mount Saint Joseph. This space 
is embraced in the general plain of descent, and considerably increases its width, affording the 
means, by its uniform character, for continuing the curves of a railway in any desired direction 
to the south of Deer Flat, nine miles from the summit, where a small farm is established on a 
few acres of open prairie, and thence to Hill’s rancho, 3.69 miles below, on Battle creek, where 
the descent for much of the distance is imperceptible. (Crossing the creek, we continued on 
through the same dense forest, interspersed with large branching oaks, across the most favorable 
