Then and Now. A Pictorial History

There’s Diamonds in Them Thar Hills!

Some More Trivia

*Pictures and text taken from:  “A Pictorial History of Lake County, Ca” Copyright 2002 The Lake County Record-Bee

History and Legends of Mount Konocti

Mount Konocti

Mount Konocti, which dominates the view along the south shore of Clear Lake, is a dormant volcano made up of five peaks: Clark Peak (2850′), Buckingham Peak (3967′), Wright Peak (4299′), Howard Peak (4286′), and South Peak (4050′). A member of the Clear Lake volcanic field, Konocti dates from the late Pliocene era (five million years ago). The cones are composite dacitic lava domes, the result of a series of non-explosive eruptions and lava flows, the last of which occurred during the Holocene era (about 10,000 years ago). Its rhyolitic obsidian (locally called “bottle rock”) was the source of prehistoric artifacts which have been found locally as well as at sites as far away as Mendocino, San Francisco, Santa Clara, and Colusa counties.

Where did it name come from?

The name Konocti has been described as deriving from two words, kno, or konoc (meaning mountain), and htai (meaning woman); another source says the word konocti means dead horse. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, settlers in the area called it Uncle Sam Mountain.

Legends of the volcanic vents

Several time over the years (in 1915, 1931, and again in 1966), fires revealed a hole on the east peak that had previously been covered by vegetation. Explorers, never able to go more than a few yards, speculated that it was the remains of a collapsed crater, tunnel, or vent. Around 1818 a “great cave” had been found under the east slope of Konocti, revealed by waters so low that one could walk across the lake; older Indians during the early 1900s recalled it well. Another legend told of a mysterious air vent located near one of the peaks into which Indians dropped notched sticks that were later found floating in Clear Lake.

Early Homesteading

In 1903 Mary R. Downen of Lakeport, recently widowed, was searching for a quiet and remote place to live. She visited the top of the mountain on horseback with her daughter and son-in-law Euvelle Howard. Upon reaching the summit, Mary declared she had never seen a more beautiful view; the following morning she staked her claim and began homesteading on the mountain. Mary would signal her family down in Lakeport at 2:00 p.m. each day with a mirror, to assure them that all was well. As there are no streams or springs at the top of the mountain, rainwater was collected in barrels; later, cisterns were dug. Euvelle planted a walnut orchard on the site of a grassy glade known to the Indians as The Horse; the 3,000-foot-elevation orchard can still be seen from Kelseyville. Euvelle is buried beneath a stone marker near the old homestead cabin which still stands, weathered and empty.

The mysterious grove

A grove of ancient maul oak trees near the summit has thrived over the years despite any known source of water; many of the largest trees are hundreds of years old. Visitors can hike through this old grove and around the old homestead and orchards.

Legends of Mount Konocti

One of the most frequently-told legends of the creation of Mount Konocti is that of Chief Konocti, who forbid his beautiful daughter Lupiyoma to marry her suitor, the young chief Kah-bel. The two chiefs died in battle; the blood of Kah-bel colored the hills to the north, while Konocti’s body formed the volcano which bears his name. The grieving Lupiyoma threw herself into the lake and her tears still spring forth at Soda Bay; for some years the lake was known as Lupiyoma Lake. Another legend tells of a konoc-htai (mountain woman) who, after quarreling with her husband, told him he would never see her alive again. She set off to climb the mountain, and climbed until she fell down exhausted and was crushed to death by a milk snake. Members of her tribe found her lifeless body and it is said that Mount Konocti thus received its name. Native peoples would journey to the heights of Konocti for the purpose of talking to the mountain and to gain better health.

Flora and Fauna

From the valley floor, Konocti may look like just a rocky mountain. Up close it is a beautiful, varied mix of native and introduced species: California annual grasslands; low shrublands of chamise, sage, ceanothus, scrub oak, toyon and manzanita; and woodland forests of foothill, knobcone and Ponderosa pine, maul, black, and blue oaks, bay laurel, and lovely old walnut orchards. From late March through June there are spectacular wildflower displays. Bring your Audubon guide and keep your eyes peeled for flocks of migrating birds or individual hawks and other birds of prey riding the thermals.

This article was taken from the website “Top of Konocti Trails”