Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-02-26
on FROZEN HEIGHTS,
A Winter Trip to the Summit OF Mount
Washington.


After a dangerous ascent through
snow-drifts from six to twelve feet
deep, and over many places where 4
false step would have sent me to the
bottom of precipice. | reached the
summit Of Mount Washington in an
exhausted condition at 8 p M, Decem-
Der. In making the ascent one has to
pass through cloud area more or less
dense. aud the moisture quickly satur-
ates your clothing, and then the low
Temperature ut a high elevation freezes
your clothes. SO was my experience,
and before could remove my apparel
l had to be thawed out.
The officers of the signal service
were very much astonishcd when l
made my appearance at their station,
and gave me a cordial greeting l was
told that large percentage OF those
who have attempted the ascent during
the winter season have paid dearly for
their temerity. After a rest of three or
four hours, ! walked out to obtain a
view Of the mountain by moonlight.
The night was nearly calm and the full
moon made everything appear as bright
us dav. There was neither cloud nor
log, but slight mist hung over the
valleys. Each particular peak of the
presidential range stood out in bold re-
lief. and the moonlight on their man
ties of snow and ice made a luminous
halo somewhat akin TO the corona,
while the frostwork on the buildings
near me flashed and sparkled in the
light. Long ] gazed in silent admira
80, +I,. so,rn 90 gfil md baan-
tiful, vet so drear, it recalled to my
mind an Arctic night Of many years
ago, when in that far-of region | stood
alone and looked on a similar scene of
snow and ice.
The intense cold awoke me from my
reyerie and slowly retraced my steps
to the warm fire Early the next
morning christmas day) | was called
TO see the sun rise. The same condition
prevailed on the summit rs the night
before-the same quiet atmosphere,
free from fog, but the light mist of the
night had settled into a heavy belt of
fog below us. If the night was glori-
ously beautiful, the panorama of the |
morning was surprisingly grand as the !
sun rose in the East. he rays falling |
on the fog belt illuminated it with all |
the colors Of the rainbow. Ii appear |
ed q mass of shimmering light and col |
or. Each peak was encircled by lumin-
Gus bands, while the small priams of
ice in frost work on the different build |
ings spurkled and danced, showing all |
the colors OF the solar spectrum, and |
changing from one to the other with /
the greatest rapidity all color and |
seemingly motion. 1t seemed indeed |
fairy land. A scene of such grandeur, |
dazzling beauty and gorgeousness
never again expect 10 see. As the sun |
rose higher and higher the fog hcayed |
up under its warm rays, forming itself, |
like the pillows of the ocean, in i'm |
mcnse waves OF color.
But the scene soon changed. From |
Il calm the wind rose suddenly to n |
velocity of seventy mixes an hour and |
the for rising formed a cloud complete
" obscuring the sun Ii seemed that |
nature during my brief stay intended .
10 show ms not only her beauties, but |
also her grandeur in n storm. Snow |
and slcet began to fall aud the wind, |
Increasing in violence, the building, |
although heavily braced on the outside
by heavy rafters, rocked to and fro
like a stauach ship in gale or sea, and |
felt it would surely be moved from |
its foundation Venturing forth in |
such a storm would have been seeking
destruction, 50 | solaced myself by
watching its effects from a window
The wind was then blowing over 100
miles an hour, and owing 10 the blind
ing slcet and snow | could not see
further than ten or fifteen yards. Inn
mense piece, OF frost work four feet
thick and eight to ten feet long were
torn from the buildings and blown out
of sight Never before had | cXper-
ienced anything so sublime as well as
fearful, and while the scene Of the
morning excited my admiration, the
storm OF the afternoon created pro-
found wonderland reverence
1t ceased as suddenly as it began,
and much to my establishment, on go
ing ont of doors TO see the effects of the
storm, | found the summit rs bare OF
snow and ice rs it would have been on
n summers day. The next morning |
prepared to descend the mountain, and
by dint of considerable labor, many
falls and numerous slides. | successful
" reached the base The scenes | wit
messed fully rccompensed me for all
the hardships and dangers of the trip.
- RehobOH SuH3dV Htrad.