Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-10
CLIMBING Mt. HOOD.
The PerIlous Ascent TO illuminate
the summit.

A Portland tOregon) special says: The
illumination OF Mt. Hood was a complete
success, except that the fire seemed to have
been burned about 1000 feet below the
summit. The storm which bad ragged for
the past week broke early yesterday morn
Ing, and the mountain became partly visible
here. About $3.50 p. NJ. a north wind blew
the clouds TO the southwark and Just before
dark not n speck Obscured the view.
The night, though very dark, was starlit.
The illumination began at ll:07 O'Clock and
the light was seen for fully three minutes.
The Signal-service officer, stationed az the
highest tower in the city, sent several mes
sages by heliograph, but got no response.
The ascending party had very rough ex-
perience. Bailey Avery, OF the OregOni0n
stan, who Is one OF the party, sent by q
mounted courier the following message
from the camp at the edge Of the tower line,
under date OF Tuesday morning. July Sd:
"The weather has been bad all the way up;
raining hard every day. The party made
camp in the rain, where we now are, Sunday
night. in a hard rainstorm. Everybody
wet through. The mules and drivers were
sent back to the summit prairie. Monday
morning was cloudy, but there was no rain.
Twomules were broughtu and party with
atoboggau loaded with red fire and some few
provisions left camp al s O'Clock, expecting TO
make Crater Rock and return 10 camp the
same night. The snow was so soft that the
mules could only be taken a little beyond
the timber hue. From the point where the
mules were left ropes were attached 10 the
toboggan and to combination ladder to
be used in crossing the creYassc, and eight
men started with the toboggau and three
with the ladder. At first the ascent was
comDaratiyelv easy. the crust OF ice on tue
snow formed bv the rain and sl6et OF the
past month being so thin that a foothold
could be broken.
"As the party t0iled up a cloud wss seen
10 hover overhead, aud At lastit settled down
on the suow-cro wned peak. The old noun.
taip.cimbers fully understood IT, import Of
that cloud, and hurried the party up az fast
as possible. The ice crust became so hard
that 1t was with great difficulty a iOothold
could be had. Hardly ten feet at a time were
made between rests, and one or another fell
al every attempt. The snow cloud was
coming lower and lower, until at last eyeR
Crater Rock and Illumination Rock were lost
in IL. A small rock ahead OF us was our OBJ
iective point, and II seemed as II we never
could get there. At last, just as the snow
euveloped the party, the rock was reached,
and toboggsn and ladder were lashed
securely 10 II.
"The red fire was protected by oil-coth.
This was no sooner done than the noun
talneers started off down the mountain.
across recovered snow fields which stretched
away down st almost an angle OF 45o. One
OF the party lost his footing and started
down at frightful speed, but was rescued
by W. q. Steel. After this the entire party,
eleven In all, tied themselves together
with q rope and began the slow and
lsborlous descent. The leaders cut foot
holds with their alocnstecks and all followed
in Indian flle. The snow turned to sleet.
which cut like knife, ana was so thick that
nothing could be seen 100 feet ahead or IN
any direction. We were caught on MI.
Hood In a terrible stor n, the wind was blow
ing perfect gale, and il was only with great
difficulty and with the help OF toe rope that
we were not blown away. After three hours
the party reached Timber Lake. and we
were shortly 10 camp. Il is raining to-day
hard.
awe are in camp hoping 1t will clear up
so we can make the summit. We have only
seen the summit twice. All the rest OF the
time lt has been raining hard up there. Our
intention il to make the ascent at all hazards
II the weather clears at ALL" The result
shows that the party "got there"