Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-12-27
WINTER ASCENT OF MOUNT WASHINGTON

The Coos Republican narrates the success
tul termination of an enterprise several times
attempted, but never before accomplished, viz :
the ascent Of Mount Washington in winter
Later than the early part of September, the
ascent Of any Of the White Mountain range is
attended with danger, and several whe have
made the attempt have lost their lives. On
the 18th inst, however, two individuals sur-
mounted all the peris of the ascent and enter
ed the Tip Top and Summit Houses. The
title to these buildings has been for some time
IN litigation, and recently Samuel f. Spaul-
ding, of Lancaster, obtained an execution
which he was anxious to levy immediately
Securing the services of Deputy Sheriff Lucius
Hartshorn, and b. f. Osgood, an experienced
guide, the three left the Glen House at 7 A.
M, on the 9TH inst. For the first mile. the
snow was about one foot in depth increasing
to two and half and three feet, as they an
preached the Ledge. AT this point, Mr.. Spaul-
ding left the party, and returned for horses
and provisions for the adyenturers on their
return trip. Messrs. Hartshorn and Ospood
pressed on with all speed, over ground covered
with an lncrustation of snow and ice, which
occasionally afforded good footing. but often
breaking, and precipitating them upon the
rocks beneath. The party suffered much from
thirst, but water was found only at the L,edoe
The air was milder than had been expected
ana the sun shone in clear sky. of the
scene at the summit and the return, the Repub
Gcan says:
Arrived at the summit, the view is repre
sented as having been sublime beyond the
power OF description. Mr.. Osgood ayerring
that IN ms many trips on to the mountain he
hau never beheld so extended yet grand and
terrlhc view as burst upon them in that lone
~ night Measures were Immediately taken
to enter the houses which, as they were GOV.
cred with snow, was a labor Of time. Unable
TO obtain ingress at the doors, they forced
their way IN through the windows, on which
the frost had formed a foot and one hair in
m'ckHesS! The walls and all the furniture
were uraped with some four inches of frost,
and the air was biting in the extreme.
1t was like a tomb, and lamp was necessa.
ry IN this snow cavern to enable the party To
distinguish the surrounding objects. As DELAY
was dangerous in the extreme, and having
perfected Their legal duty, the two prepared TO
return Upon emerging from the houses they
Dehelu 10 the southwest cloud RAPIDLY in
creaslng IN volume, and rolling ON towards
them When first seen it was small in mngni-
tude, but it increased in size with ALARMING,
velocity, soon spreading over the entire soutb
lhey knew 1t was frost cloud, and that to be
caught IN It's folds would probably prove fatal,
ana they FASTENED to avoid it. They had inst
entered the woods ut the base of the Ledpe
"hen II came upon them. So icy and pene
trating was its breath, that to have encountor-
ed its binding freezing power on the uprotect.
ca height would have been to have perishod
with 1t as pail to cover them. Tie marty
reached the Glen in safety, and were heartily
welcomed by their friends, who, well knowing
tne danger attending this never-before-accon,
pushed feat, awaited them with much anxiety.