Echo Lake Hike & Some Sad History
For our second foray into the forest, heading to Echo Lake, we gathered some of the usual suspects.
"Mr. and Mrs. Clyde C. Marsh, natives and life-long residents of this county, met death Saturday afternoon (June 25, 1932) when the boat in which they were riding with five others, swamped and capsized on Lower Echo Lake. Mr.Marsh, president of the Placerville Ski Club, was leading the party to a 4th of July campout where he hoped to conclude preparations for the winter sports activities of the ski club. Four of the five others in the boat were rescued by the fifth, who swam ashore and summoned assistance. The body of Mrs. Marsh was recovered from the surface of the lake soon afterwards. The body of her husband sank below the surface and at this writing had not been recovered. Mr. Marsh had been the moving spirit in the Placerville Ski Club, owing to his familiarity with the recreation area near the Echo summit. With him in the boat were Mrs. Marsh, their daughters, Doris, 14, and Katherine, 15; Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Timmons, of Sonora, and Steve Prescott, operator of the boat, which was owned by Ralph King, who operates the boat rental at Echo Lake." -Placerville Mountain Democrat
In another article, I read that the wife, Marvel, had died of shock and Clyde drowned trying to save her. Several unsuccessful attempts were made, over several days, to find the body of Mr. Marsh, including the lowering of a tube into the water containing a powerful lamp, to illuminate the bottom of the lake. His body was never found. Clyde C. Marsh was the President of the Native Sons of the Golden West (who had this plaque installed) and a PG & E engineer. This little bit of Echo Lake history is sad and overlooked by so many. I thought it was worth sharing.
"Up to snow good!"
1 comments:
Looks like the snow was still fluffy and nice up there, making great conditions for your snowshoeing. I hadn't seen the plaque before. Sad. Interesting history - Placerville Ski Club in the 1930's and he was an engineer working on those PG&E high mountain areas...wow.
Post a Comment