Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1888-11-30
ASCENDING a MOUNTAIN.
Going Up to the Top of Mount Shasta ahs
Then Down Again.

Going Up to the Top of Mount Shasta and
Then Down Again.
Now that we W, - within few miles
OF Shasta, it did not look so wholly
white. Its SHOWS were plowed by many
q rocky ridge, not perceptible at a
greater distance. 1t did not. however,
lose its supernatural appearance there
by, but rather gained an effect more
startling by the sharp contrast of lava
rock and sweeps of snow. Shasta was
named by Russian travellers, the proper
derivation of the word being Tcheste,
meaning chaste pure 1t is the culmin-
ating peak of the coast and Sierra
ranges, and has an altitude of IA, 444
feet. Its glaciers extend for more than
two miles down its slopes. We sat for
an hour on the hotel porch trying to
familiarize ourselves with this strange
mountain, but it's unearthly aspect did
not change for us.
sit is terrible to be up there!" said
Hal, with almost a shudder Zone is
in no danger of forgetting his expe-
rience. As | was following that lava
ridge this side of the Devils Thumb, |
saw far off on the snow a black object
about the size OF my finger, wriggling
and staggering about, falling flat occa-
sionally, and then rosumng its fantas-
tic gyrations. Observed il carefully,
and discovrod fiat tho object was
forked, aud then it flashed through me
that j. was a man climbing The glacier.
ir.4 al,I : h, .1,,ff l.
that forms the summit. we were mCa by
Il perfect avalanche Of clouds that
tossed and tuniblcd about, giving
ghostly indistipotness to every thing.
We appeared to be in world Of unre-
aiiJies, peoplod by shadowy creatures
that lcngtheped and contracted, and
flung about their vast, white wings
above the sickening fumes that steamed
up from the kissing, squirting hot
springs at our feet. A momentary
parting of the clouds showed the sky
blue as indigo, closing down in awful
nearness. Through revolving glare
the blood-red sun swung in the fright
full purple of the heavens. Fronting
these unaccustomed elements solemn
dignity possessed the soul and gave a
conscious feeling of inlinitude. The
loss of all familiar landmarks lent an
indescribable terror to the scene. This
dead volcanoes throat is choked with
snow. On its icy rim one of the ladies
slipped and fell headlong over the fear
full chasm. The guide caught her by
one of her feet. Her escape from a
horrible death was almost miraculous.
ne were nearly frozen with the cold,
and yet our mouths were parched and
hot as in a desert Our hearts throbbed
painfully, and we drew our breath in
gasps. A.
Before we commenced the descent a
fierce blast tore the mists asunder, re-
vealing the grandest picture we shall
ever behold on this earth. From the
majestic temple we could see hundreds
of miles of Kaleidoscope landscape.
Mountains, rivers and valleys, with
spurs of rocky ranges cutting through
tawney farm fields far away; green
meadows starred with lakes, and bill
lowy ranges running toward the sea,
while fifty miles of dense pine forests
SPAWNED the McCloud and Pitt to touch
the snowy heads of the Sierras. And
Oregon's rich prairies, linked to ours
by chain of silver-surfaced lakes; to
the south, beyond the mighty Lassen
Buttes, we catch a GLIMPSE of dusky
plains, with isles of clustering peaks.
Three times l have seen all this, and
yet | feel an irresistible desire to go
again. In spite of the labor and ex-
haustion attending the ascent, the vision
from the top is worth a greater sacri-
: fee"
slowly descended the mountain,
gazing silently toward Mount Shasta
until the intervening silver frs shut off
our view.
| The train was two hours late that
night, and as j turned from bidding Hal
good-by we saw radiant mantle fall
on Shastais head from the departing sun.
"And the glory of the Lord was like
devouring fire on the top of the mountn'
he quoted solemnly, and within its re-
fected light we parted hands. - Over
land MORthlH