Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-09
Winter Storm OH Shasta.
LMaLc GeoIoo.N Ml.it III lNifoLnio.

lSjCfC GectpytSt -uittf 81 tuttfOfRttO.
Watched the sky with great caution, for it.
was easy TO see that storm was approach
Ing. Mount Shasta rises ten thousand feet
above the general level in blank exposure 10
the deep gulf streams OF air, and have never
been III labyrinth OF peaks and canOnS
where the dangers of q storm seemed 50 for
midable as here. ! was, therefore, in constant
readiness 10 retreat into the timber. How
ever. by halt-pa>t ten o'clock | reached the
utmost summit. | spent Il couple Of hours
tracing the outlines of its ancient lava
streams. extending far into the surrounding
plains add The pathways OF IT'S ancient gld-
ciCTS, but the wind constantly increased in
violence. raising the snow in magnificent
drifts. and forming ii into long, waving ban
HoTS that glOwcd in the sun. A succession of
small storm clouds struck against the sum
NIT pinnacleS like icebergS. darkening the air
AZ they passed. and producing chill as
definite and SaGdcn 3S II ice water were
dashed i'm ones face. This il the kind Of
cloud in which snow flowers grow, and
was compelled 10 begin a retreat, which, after
spending a few minutes upon the main
Shasta glacier and tire side OF The Crater
Butte" ! accomplished more than an hour
before dark. 50 that had time TO hollow a
strip Of ground for q nest in the lee of a block
Of red lava. where frewOOd was abundant.
Next morning. breaking suddenly out Of pro
found sleep, my eyes opened on one of the
most sublime scenes ever beheld. A bound
less wilderness OF SioTm-CloutS OF different
age and TipcHcSs were COngTegated over all
the landscape for thousands of square miles,
coloTed gray, and purple, and pearl. and
floating. while the cone Of Shasta above and
the sky was tranquil and fun OF the sun. II
seemed not so much an ocean as a land OF
clouds. undulating hill and dale. smooth, pun
pie plains and Silyery mountains OF Cumuli.
range Cycrrangc, nObly diversified with peaks
and dOmCS. with cool shadows between and
with here and there Il wide trunk canon.
smooth and rounded as If crCded by glaciers.
l gaZcd enchanted. but cold, gray masses
drifting hIther and thither like rack on a
windSrTCad plain began 10 shut out the light,
and IL was evident that they would soon be
maTShaled for storm. | gathered as much
wood as possible and Snugged il shelteringly
around my StOrm-neSt My blankets were
arranged. and tire tOpmOSt fastened down
with stakes, and my precious bread-Sack
tucked in at my head, ] was ready when the
first flakes fell All kinds of clouds began 10
fuse into one, the winds swept past in kissing
floods, and the storm closed down on all
things. producing a wild cXhilaratiOn. Ny
fire blaZed brayely, had a weeks wood, a
Sack-full Of bread, and nest that the widest
wind could not demOliSh, and | had, more
over, plenty Of materials for the making of
snOw-shOcs if the depth of the snow should
render them necessary. The storm lasted
about a week, ami had plenty TO DO listen
ing to IFS tones and watching the gestures of
the heXiliS fine. and in catching snOw-cryS-
tails and examining them under lens and
observing the methods of their decomposition
as summer fountains.