Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1870-09-03
OLYMPIA, SATURDAY MORNING, SEPT. 3, 1870.
The Ascent of Mount Rainier.

xUe ascent OF MOUNT MANNER.
The recent trip of Messrs. p. =. Van
Trump and Hazard Stevens, of Olympia,
and f. T. Coleman, of Victoria to Mount
Rainier, being the subject of considerable
interest, even to our Oldest settlers, many
of whom with twenty years residence have
not explored the country traversed by
these gentlemen, we have concluded to
give as full report as possible, and hence
copy on the first page from the Tribune
the account of one of the parties, in add.
tion to the article promised last week, to
be founded on the notes of Mr. Van
Trump, which we give as follows:
On the Sth inst, these gentlemen started
on their prof ectcd tour to Mount Rainier,
the ascent of which had been with the two
frst-named gentlemen, at least, a long
talked of undertaking, the successful ac-
com lishment of which they had looked
forward to with perhaps extravagant in
terest and enthusiasm. This was induced
doubtless by the fact that this Modest
Roman" of all the grand peaks of the
Cascade Mountains, and perhaps of our
whole Pacific slope, had long been re-
garded, because of frequent unsuccessful
attempts to ascend it in the past, as a
mountain whose lofty and eternally-snowed
summit would ever bid defiance to the in
vading steps of man, and over whose un-
trodden SHOWS no one might ever unfold,
as over Baker, Hood and Shasta, the
GLORIOUS Stars and Stripes" The pro-
gramme Of the party was to travel comfort
ably on wheels to the head of Lackamas
Prairie, 80 miles south or southeast from
Olympia, and from there to proceed on
foot to the mountain. A journey of eighty
or a hundred miles on foot, it was supposed,
would sufficiently harden tender feet and
properly enough school unframed" mus.
Gle for the final arduous effort.
The tourists, accompanied by party OF
friends, ladies and gentlemen, (who took
fattering interest in their undertaking)
after a pleasant drive over Campbelrs
Prairie and the Yelm, arrived in the after
noon at the fine Prairie home of Mr.. James
Longmire. Here the party rested during
the heat of the day, agreeably entertained
by Mrs. Longmire. Mr. Longmire fur
nished the tourists with two pack animal.
for carrying their provisions and |" Alpin,
parapherDalia," and had previously agreed
to accompany them as guide to the base
or near the base, Of the mountain. An,
most happy selection they made up
"guidc, philosopher and friend" in tn,
uutried path before them; for he proved
thorough mountaineer, keen follower o
an almost unseen and unseeaJle trail, an,
a kind, clever gentlemen. From Nj
Longmire's, on Yelm Prairie, the Who'll
party in carriages and wagons, proceede
seven miles (Mr. Longmire's being twent,
three miles from town. farther, to Nj
Elkane Longmire's, on the Lackama
where they remained together till the ue1
morning; The ladies finding suitable a,
eommodations for the night, and the gel
tlemen, wrapped in blankets, "takiu
lodgings" under the fr-trees bordering til
prairie near the house. Early on tn
morning of the 9th, after capital breal
fast cooked in the woods by the ladies' an
supplied from well-provisioned baskets
their carriages, (thanks to their prude,
consideration for the expeditions econ
mized stock of bacon, beans and -four, an
to their disrelish for "slapjacks,") ii
mountaineers babe their friends adie,
aud amid the waving Of handkerchiefs an
well wishes for their success and safe r
turn, took up, Indian file, their line
march.
In two hours travel from the prairie, Il