Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-07-27
Highest Mountains in the u. S.

Highest Mountains in the U. S.
The progress of exploration among
the high mountain ranges of Western
America is narrowing down the ques-
ton as to where is the highest noun
tain peak in the republic. The Rocky |
Mountains, the Sierra Nevadas. the |
latter's extension through Oregon, the !
Cascades and their further extensions
into British America-and Alaska,
have all been contestants for this dis
tinction; and very wild statements
have been made of the heights of the
representative peaks of each of these
sections. Several peaks need yet to
be more accurately measured before
the contest is fully closed; but at
present California, with her Mount
Whitney, carries off the palm. This
mountain, which lies in the Sierra Ne
vada range, in the southern part of
the state, was aScended by Mr.. King,
one of the State geological survey, in
the summer of 1866, to a point A.
740 feet in height, where he took ac-
curate measurements. Beyond that
point, the peak was "inaccessible )"
but his skilled judgment was, that the
summit rose from three to four hun
dred feet above him; and he there
fore reports Mount Whitney as 49,
900 feet high--a claim which may be
held to be substantially correct. In
the neighborhood of Mount Whitney
are Mount Lyell, 1927 feet high,
Dana, 1927, Brewer, 1886, and
Tyndall, 1886 feet.
But next to Mount Whitney in Cal
ifornia stands Mount Shasta in the
northern part of the State, and per-
haps the most magnificent snow-cover-
ed mountain in the United States
tt is 14.440 feet high, and is appar-
entity destined, more than any other
mountain in the republic, to become
the object Of curious interest and
pleasure-seeking for travellers. Mount
Hood, its Oregon rival, and nearly
its equal in beauty of shape and ex.
tent of snow-felds, is but II ,225 feet
high. Mounts Baker and Rainer, still
farther north in Washington Terrific.
ry, are respectively 1O,78O feet and
1880 feet high. They are also dis
tinguished for the extent and magnif
cence Of their perpetual w,felds
The encyclopedia puts down two
mountains (still farther north in Brit
ish Columbia Brown and Hooker
as being 1890 and 15,700 feel
high respectively; but they prove
never to have been accurately meas
ured, and these figures are but the
widest guesses of superficial travel
ers, no more to be depended upor
; than the claim Of the OregoniaHs to {
height Of over 1900 feet for Mount
! Hood, which has only been over
thrown within the last three years.
1t is not probable that either of these
peaks in British America ascend 81
, high as either Shasta or Whitney il
: California; but still they need to b.
: accurately measured before the ques
tod can be held to be finally closed
against them.
: So, too, of Mount St. Elias in ou
new territory Of Alaska. Heights OF
: 10000 and 1900 feet have beer
: claimed by travellers, and soberly pu
: down in books for this grand cid vol
cano. But the measurement Of ST
: E. Belcher, which is the highest pu
forth by any one of respectable au
thority, claims only 1870 feet for il
and other observers make it nue.
$ lower. The mountain has really nev
: er been accurately measured.
Thus stands the case in the Pacif
coast States and Territories. OF tn
coast mountains in California no on
9 rises above 5000 feet, that being th
!, figure for Panache Grande. Noun
Diablo SO conspicuous an object i
T. the country about San Francisco,
but 1857 feet high.
f Coming east to the Rocky Mour
e tains, Colorado, which holds the higl
l. est peaks of that range, has fou
n mountains which are pretty certainl
) between $4,000 and $500 feet eacl
l. These are Longs, Gray's and Pike
e peaks, and Mount Lincoln. DR.. Pa
l. ry, of St. Louis, has made the mos
: reliable measurements of the Colori
r dian heights; but since one of th
e barometers which he depended upo
d for the calculations was stationed
l. St. Louis, there was some liability t
u error In even the most accurate o
D. his figures. He measured the lowe
r of the two Gray's peaks, and made
e 14,251 feet. The other, to which h
D. endeavored to give the name of To
II rey's Peak, but which the people o
K Colorado join with its twin in th
1. same name of Gray, is evidently frol
d one to two hundred feet higher, br
n has not been accurately measured
It, Pixies Peak is reported by DIR. Pa
IN ry at 14,216 feet, and by Fremon
who ascended it, at 14,300 feet
o. Mount Lincoln has never been accl