During the summer of 1886, the U.S. Geological Survey sounded the lake and mapped the area’s topography.(28) Much of its success was due to Steel, who, in his role as special assistant to the expedition, was responsible for transporting the boats and equipment. His role in the undertaking gave him credibility and allowed the Oregon Alpine Club to cosponsor the O’Neal Expedition of the Olympic Mountains in 1890. Another success followed so Steel felt confident in organizing an even larger undertaking, the Mazamas outing of 1896. By arranging the trip so that the Mazamas were climbing nearby Mount McLoughlin while scientists from various government bureaus made their investigations, he hoped to give the proposal both scientific merit and wide publicity. After their climb and an excursion to Wizard Island, the Mazamas assembled on a site overlooking Crater Lake so the findings could be presented.(29) The outing also allowed the scientists to meet with members of the National Forestry Commission, a body whose purpose was to make recommendations about the disposition of the forest reserves. For this to happen, Steel cut his participation in the Mazamas trip short so he could bring the commission to the lake less-than a week later.(30)

Neither Muir nor Steel were strangers to state and national politics by the time they finished their park campaigns. Both found ways to secure influence with businessmen, legislators, and government officials through various lobbying techniques. In addition, each man chose an unexpected intermediary when his proposal reached a crucial stage.

After years of petitions, testimonials, and localized legislative support, the proposals began to move toward realization when Theodore Roosevelt assumed the Presidency in 1901. It was Roosevelt’s influence that allowed the Crater Lake bill to come up for debate in the House of Representatives in April of 1902.(31) Muir’s most publicized lobbying for recession came when he and Roosevelt camped alone in Yosemite for three days in May 1903.(32) This led to the president’s intervention when Senate cooperation was needed to add the valley to Yosemite National Park in 1906.

Although Roosevelt was a key figure in the adoption of both proposals, Muir and Steel had to use unusual intermediaries before the President could sign either bill. In Muir’s case this proved to be E.H. Harriman, president of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Harriman made use of the railroad’s influence on the California state legislature after Muir and William Colby did some hard lobbying for recession. When the measure came up for a vote in February of 1905, nine crucial votes turned the tide and it passed. About a year later Harriman came to the rescue again when a joint resolution accepting the valley stalled in the House.(33)

Although Harriman’s actions can be explained largely by his friendship with Muir, the Southern Pacific also wanted control of transportation to Yosemite.(34) In spite of the railroad’s ulterior motive, Muir accepted Harriman’s assistance. He reasoned that federal control of the entire park area would lessen the destruction caused by the numerous concessioners (27 at the time of recession) and other entrenched interests. Furthermore, the Sierra Club’s board declared that Yosemite’s poorly-maintained toll roads and the valley’s substandard accommodations were hurting California’s economy.(35)

Steel’s intermediary was Gifford Pinchot. At first this seems strange, especially given the view that Pinchot’s name never appeared in connection with the promotion of national parks.(36) But he did seem to have been more enthusiastic about Crater Lake than Muir, whose writing about his visit in 1896 indicated that the most impressive feature of southern Oregon was its variety of tree species.(37) Pinchot camped with Muir at the lake and later wrote:

. . .we drove to Crater Lake, through the wonderful forests of the Cascade Range, while John Muir and Professor [William H.] Brewer made the journey short with talk worth crossing the continent to hear. Crater Lake seemed to me like a wonder of the world.(38)

A somewhat similar situation developed in February 1902 when Steel was eliciting testimonials for the bill which would establish Crater Lake National Park. Muir begged off in his response:

I don’t know the Crater Lake region well enough to answer the question “Why should a national park be established to include Crater Lake.”You know this region much better than I do. I should try to show forth its beauty + usefulness explaining its features in detail + pointing out those which are novel + which require Government care in their preservation etc. . .(39)

By contrast, Pinchot’s reply was ecstatic:

. . . You ask me why a national park should be established around Crater Lake. There are many reasons. In the first place, Crater Lake is one of the great natural wonders of this continent. Secondly, it is a famous resort for the people of Oregon and of other States, which can best be protected and managed in the form of a national park. Thirdly, since its chief value is for recreation and scenery and not for the production of timber, its use is distinctly that of a national park and not a forest reserve. Finally, in the present situation of affairs it could be more carefully guarded and protected as a park than as a reserve.(40)

The bill was passed unanimously by the committee but was opposed by the Speaker of the House who refused to let it be debated. He relented only after Pinchot had spoken to Roosevelt about the bill.(41) After it passed the Senate, Pinchot wrote Steel again:

. . You give me more thanks than my small share in getting the Crater Lake bill passed deserves, but I am sincerely glad it has got along so far. There is no doubt, in my judgment, that the President will sign it. . .(42)

Steel’s triumph came a week later on May 22, 1902 when Crater Lake became a national park. His ability to get along with Pinchot allowed the proposal to get over the final hurdle. This is in contrast to Muir who had severed all ties with the forester in 1897 over the issue of sheep in the forest reserves.

The best explanation for why Pinchot was willing to do Steel’s bidding might be common interest. Passage of the Crater Lake bill occurred three years before Pinchot created the U.S. Forest Service and stimulated transfer of the reserves from control by the Interior Department’s General Land Office to the Department of Agriculture. Steel started the first forestry organization in Oregon and had surveyed the Stehekin section of the Washington Reserve when Pinchot was “special forest agent” for Interior in 1897.(43) They shared a vehement dislike for the GLO’s administration of the reserves, and Steel had at one point begun to waver from his previous position on sheep.(44) It was only when Pinchot attempted to bring the national parks under Forest Service administration in 1904 that this coalition began to wither.

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