The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-12-25
MOUNT SHASTA.
Its Appearance in Winter.


In an account of his recent ascent of
Mount Shasta, California, Mr.. John
Muir, the State Geologist Of California
says
watched the sky with great caution,
for 1t was easy to see that storm was
approaching. Mount Shasta rises 10000
feet above the general level in blank ex-
posure TO the deep gulf-streams of air.
and have never been in a labyrinth of
peaks and canons where the dangers of a
storm seemed SO formidable as here. l
was, therefore, in constant readiness to
retreat into the timber How ever, by
half past 10 o'clock reached the utmost
summit. spent couple of hours trac-
ing the outlines of the ancient lava
streams, extending far into the surround
ing plains and pathways of its ancient
glaciers, but the wind constantly in
creased in violence, raising the snow in
magnificent drifts, and forming it into
long, waving banners that glowed in the
Gun. A succession of small storm cloud E
struck against the summit pinnacles like
icebergs, darkening the air as they pass
ed, and producing chill as definite and
sudden as if icewater was dashed in one 6
face This is the kind of cloud in
which snow flowers grow, and 1 was
compelled to begin retreat, which, af-
ter spending a few minutes upon the
main Shasta glacier and the side of the
"Crater Butte" / accomplished more
than an hour before dark, so that l had
time to hollow strip of ground for a
nest in the lee of block of red lava,
where frewood was abundant
Next morning, breaking suddenly out
of profound sleep, my eyes opened upon
one Of the most sublime scenes / ever
beheld A boundless wilderness OF
storm-clouds of different age and ripe
ness were congregated over all the land
scape for thousands of square miles, col
ored grey, and purple, and pearl, and
glowing white, among which seemed
to be floating, while the cone of Shasta
above and the sky was tranquil and full
of the sun. It seemed not SO much an
ocean as a land of clouds, undulating
hill and dale, smooth purple plains, and
silvery mountains of cumuli, range
over range, nobly diversified with peaks
and domes, with cool shadows between
and with here and there wide trunk
canon, smoothed and rounded as if erod
ed by glaciers. gazed enchanted, but
cold grey masses drifting hither like
rack on a wind-swept plain began to shut
out the light, and it was evident that
they would soon be marshalled for storm
I gathered as much wood as possible
and anugged it shelterlngly around my
storm-nest. My blankets were arrang-
ed, and the top-most fastened down with
stakes, and my precious bread sack tuck
ed in at my head. l was ready when
the first flakes fell. All kinds of clouds
began to fuse into one, the wind swept
past in kissing floods, and the storm
closed down on all things, producing a
wild exhilaration.
My fire blazed bravely, had a week s
wood, a sack full of bread, and a nest
that the widest wind could not demo-
lish, and I had, moreover, plenty of
material for the making of snow-shoes if
the depth of the snow should render
them necessary. The storm lasted about
a week, and had plenty to do listening
to its tones and watching the gestures of
the flexilis fine, and in catching snow
crystals and examining them under a
lens and observing the methods of their
deposition as summer fountains