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61 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, September 19, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend April 22, 2004 Since you asked That rock has served as a pilot My dad tells me that the big rock you can see from Emigrant Lake and other parts of Ashland is called Pilot Rock. Where did it get that name? — Alex A., Ashland If we were supervising a homework assignment instead of writing for Since You Asked, we’d direct you to the best resource for the answer and tell you to look it up yourself. That, of course, would be the seventh edition of "Oregon Geographical Names" by Lewis A. McArthur and Lewis L. McArthur, published last year by the Oregon Historical Society Press in Portland. However, since this column is a public font of knowledge, we’ll answer your question, Alex. Pilot Rock is a singular landmark in the Siskiyou Mountains south of Ashland and about five miles southeast of Interstate 5. With an elevation of 5,910 feet, it’s visible for quite a distance. Pioneers traveling the pass between Oregon and California used the rock as a navigation tool to guide or "pilot" their journeys, thereby dubbing it "Pilot Rock." The rock was also named Emmons Peak after U.S. Navy Lt. George F. Emmons, who saw it on Sept. 28, 1841. However, as "Oregon Geographic Names" notes, the title "Emmons Peak" never quite caught on. Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by e-mail to [email protected] . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities